Stephany Writes

Quick Takes on a Friday (v. 1)

1) I woke up yesterday morning thinking, “I should revive 7 Quick Takes Friday” on my blog! This was a series I did regularly on Fridays back in 2011-2012 days, and I don’t know why I thought about it at this moment in time. But I couldn’t get it out of my head to do, so I’m bringing it back but I’m just going to write however many quick takes I want (less than 10, more than 5) and challenge myself to keep each “take” short, three sentences or less.

2) I finally started watching Big Little Lies on HBO. We’re reading the book for my work book club and since everyone but me and another person have also watched the show, we wanted to do a book vs show debate. I’m three episodes in and I am loving it, and can’t believe I waited to so long to watch it!

3) My mom and I did something totally crazy yesterday: we booked a trip to Ireland! I got an email about crazy low fares to Dublin, and since my mom has told me repeatedly how much she wants to visit Ireland, we start texting about it. And suddenly, tickets were booked and I was scouring the Internet for Ireland itineraries. We leave at the end of April, and I couldn’t be more nervcited (<– my new term for being nervous + excited at the same time)!

4) Some new podcasts I’ve added to my feed: Sarah’s Book Shelves Live (she’s one of the few snarky book people I know of, and I love her for it!); Terrible, Thanks for Asking (I’m bingeing through her archive now, but I may need to space of the episodes as they make me so sad); Up and Vanished (thoroughly engaged with season 1), and Enneagram & Coffee (Sarahjane’s voice makes me want to curl up and fall right asleep… it’s so soothing!).

5) I have a massage scheduled for tomorrow and a part of me wants to ask my therapist to just massage my hands for the whole 50 minutes. My hands have felt so achy lately and I’m not sure why! I can’t even do a plank anymore because the pressure on my hands is excruciating.

6) This weekend is the 24in48 readathon, and I’ve been going back and forth if I want to participate. I have a fairly plan-less weekend; the only things on my plate are a massage on Saturday and a writing date on Sunday. I think I’m going to give it a try, though, and see how close I get to that magical 24 number.

7) I’ve loved watching Eloise get more and more comfortable with me, and I swear she’s become my little shadow lately! She always wants to be near me, even when I’m in the bathroom, and I can’t lie: I love it. Dutch was permanently affixed to my side and I wasn’t expecting to have that kind of closeness with a cat, but Eloise has proven me wrong.

What I’m Reading (1.23.19)

Surprise! It’s a “What I’m Reading” post in the middle of the week. I didn’t end up finishing any books this week until Sunday evening and I knew I wouldn’t have time to put together a post in time for Monday morning, so I just switched things up on ya. We all need that from time to time, right? 🙂

Little Panic: Dispatches from an Anxious Life by Amanda Stern (★★★☆☆)

Little Panic is the book to read if you want to feel less alone in your anxiety struggles… or if you want to really try to understand what the world is like for those of us who struggle with anxiety. It’s a book that could be exhausting at times because Amanda’s inner world is exhausting – just as my inner world is exhausting. This book is raw and vulnerable, and I truly appreciate Amanda for being so open and honest about her struggles and the way they have affected her. While my anxiety isn’t as severe as hers, I could definitely relate to her struggles and her overwhelming fear at just about everything that crossed her path. The book is written in a nonlinear form, moving back and forth between Amanda’s childhood and adulthood. Interspersed throughout the book are notes from the various specialists she saw as a child (therapists and the like). That made the book feel a little disjointed at times; it was missing the type of flow I’m used to having in memoirs. I also found that the book was just a bit too long (it was over 13 hours in audiobook form) and I think it could have used a tighter edit. But even with those negatives, I still think it’s a book that is worth a read.

Irresistible You by Kate Meader (★★★★☆)

I love when I find a romance writer who I can trust to write a strong, well-crafted romance novel. These are the writers who I don’t have to worry about. I know their romances won’t require suspending crazy amounts of disbelief or cringing over silly dialogue. Kate Meader is one of those writers, and since she’s a new find for me, I am so delighted! This book officially begins her Chicago Rebels series: Harper Chase, one of the new owners of the Rebels, is ready to get her father’s professional hockey team into the playoffs for the first time in a long time, and it all starts with her new acquisition: Remy DuPre. Remy is one of the most solid hockey players in the league who can always be counted on to bring a team together. Of course, as you might expect, Harper and Remy have some serious chemistry and wind up falling in love. Aww. I really, really loved the natural evolution of their relationship, as well as the super steamy love scenes. (I love a well-written steamy love scene, but if you don’t, this book probably isn’t for you!) I also really enjoyed the feminist undertones of this novel – both from Harper and from Remy. Throughout the novel, Harper had to contend with sexism due to being a woman in a man’s world. Plus, there was also the subplot of Harper not willing to go public about her relationship with Remy because she knew she would be judged way harsher than Remy would. It’s a valid concern, and I’m glad it wasn’t glossed over. I also found the way the author resolved this plot point to be believable to an extent. (If this happened IRL, I think the backlash would be way more overt, but this is a fiction and a romance after all. We need our HEAs!)

We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (★★★★★)

Oh, what can I say about this outstanding novel that hasn’t already been said? This book is a must read, in my opinion, and completely stands out in the WWII subgenre. And I think the main reason it stands out is because this is a true story, albeit a fictionalized version. It follows three generations of the Kurc family in Poland as they navigate a cruel world that has suddenly deemed them unworthy of humanity based solely on being Jewish. The whole family is separated throughout the war: one brother flees the continent, others move to a different Polish city to pose as Aryans, and still others stay in their hometown and struggle to survive. It’s a story of grit, tenacity, resilience… with a dose of luck thrown in there. Hunter did an amazing thing with this novel because not only is it incredibly well-written, but it also preserves her family’s history in a beautiful way. I am so glad I finally read this novel and want to get it in the hands of everyone I know.

I’m currently reading…

> Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God After Experiencing a Hurtful Church by Carol Howard Merritt. I just started this book, and I’m taking it slowly by reading one chapter every night before bed. I bought this book after hearing Merritt on a podcast and her words really spoke to me. I’m not sure what I’m hoping to get out of this book but I’m going to keep an open heart and mind.

> Act Like It by Lucy Parker, for my romance of the week. I’m only a chapter into this delightful romance and it has already captivated me!

> The Alice Network by Kate Quinn. Typically, I wouldn’t read another novel about war so soon after finishing one, but I already returned this book to the library once and had to wait weeks to get it back. My next read, however, is most likely Anne of Green Gables so that will be the palate cleanser I need!

What are you reading?

What I’m Reading (1.14.18)

Happy Monday, my friends! I had an incredibly busy weekend that has me feeling a bit on edge as I enter this new week. I always tend to feel that way when I have a weekend that doesn’t allow for enough downtime. Thankfully, this week will be quiet (and I have a work-from-home day scheduled for Thursday, which is much needed) and I’m not making any plans for Friday and Saturday in the hopes I can fully recharge my batteries.

Even with the busyness, however, I still managed to finish four books! One was an audiobook and one I had about 30 pages left in when I started the week, ha, but it all counts. I’ve decided to change up my reviews somewhat, make them a bit more concise. Enjoy!

Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang (★★★★★)

This is a beautifully written novel that starts with a teenage girl attempting to end her life by losing control of her car on an icy patch of the road. What follows is a nonlinear timeline of what happened to lead Liz to believing suicide was her only way out, and how her accident reverberates throughout her friends, her school, and her community. The writing is just so gorgeous, and I was so impressed to learn that this book is Zhang’s debut novel. The story reads fairly quickly due to short chapters and it’s not one to be missed, in my opinion.

The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson (★★★☆☆)

This thriller has a fairly insane premise: a man and a woman are on a flight together and start talking. The man mentions how he knows his wife is cheating on him and he could kill her for it. Instead of being creeped out by that pronouncement, the woman tells him she can help. After all, she says, some people are the kind worth killing. From there, the plot takes off and doesn’t slow down even at the end. (Honestly, the final twist almost bumped my star rating from three to four stars.) Overall, I wasn’t a huge fan of this thriller and it might have simply been due to the extremely unlikable characters. I don’t need likable characters, especially for thrillers, but there was just something about these people that I really despised. Every character seemed to be the worst of humanity; none of them were redeemable in any way. However, my opinion seems to be in the minority because most people rave about this book and it has a 4.03 rating on Goodreads with over 61,000 reviews. So I guess you should take my opinion with a grain of salt, ha.

Maybe This Christmas by Sarah Morgan (★☆☆☆☆)

I was really looking forward to this contemporary romance, the final in a trilogy about a group of brothers who work at their family’s winter resort. Throughout the first two novels, Brenna and Tyler were secondary characters but with a shared history that I couldn’t wait to explore. The result was rather disappointing, however. Brenna and Tyler have been best friends since they were kids, skiing together nearly every day after school and throughout that whole time, Brenna had a crush on Tyler. Tyler became a skiing sensation, winning multiple Olympic gold medals and World Cups until an injury ended his career. He comes back to Snow Crystal disappointed and angry but Brenna is happy to have her best friend back in her life full-time. As I’ve shared previously, the friends-to-lovers trope is my favorite of the romance genre but this was a good lesson in how not to write it. Brenna was written completely differently than she had appeared in the first two novels of this trilogy, and her self-consciousness around Tyler didn’t read true to life. You wouldn’t be that way around someone who’s been your best friend since you were kids! I was also disappointed in the ending – not because of the HEA (I always love an HEA!) but because everything wrapped up a little too neatly in a way that made me suspend reality just a little too much.

Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer (★★★★☆)

This book gave me all of the warm fuzzies about female friendship and the women I call my friends! The title of the book is something I have said to my friends or been told to do after leaving their home or a restaurant or a party. It’s something that always makes me feel good, knowing I have someone checking in on me and wanting to know I got home safe. It reminds me that I may be single but I am not alone. In Text Me When You Get Home, the author explores the evolution of female friendship, starting with how it wasn’t much of a priority for her mother as a new wife in her early twenties, and what it looks like today, both in the real lives of women and what’s portrayed on TV shows and movies. It’s a well-researched love letter to female friendships, and how they are arguably more important in the lives of women than romantic relationships. I loved every bit of this book.

I’m currently reading…

> Little Panic: Dispatches from an Anxious Life by Amanda Stern, on audio. This is a memoir about living with anxiety, starting from Amanda’s childhood and how she lives with it today.

> Irresistible You by Kate Meader, my romance pick for the week. Kate Meader is a new-to-me romance author, so we’ll see how this goes!

> We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter. I’m reading this for book club (my suggestion, so it had better be as good as everyone says, ha). I read the first 50 pages on Sunday evening and was immediately sucked into the story, so I think I’m thoroughly going to enjoy my time with this novel.

What are you reading?

Monthly Recap | December 2018

Books

I read 11 books in December to bring my yearly total to 134. I’m interested to find out if I can even come close to that number again, but I’m also not worried about doing so. Reading is my happy place, but it’s not a competition and I don’t read to fulfill any kind of arbitrary numbers goal.

I started December reading Starry Night, my first Debbie Macomber book, and it was just okay. I like my romances to be steamier and this book was a little too cutesy for my liking. I read Nine Perfect Strangers, Liane Moriarty’s latest, and loved it. Such great characters and a unique plot! I listened to Rest in Power, written by the parents by Trayvon Martin, which was such a hard but necessary read. I read Alyssa Cole’s latest contemporary romance, A Duke by Default, and found it so charming and lovely. Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis was a reread for me, but I loved it even more the second time around. I heard mixed reviews about The Great Alone but I ended up really liking the novel. It started off very slow but hit a turning point where I couldn’t put it down. I read my third Christina Lauren novel, Dating You/Hating You, which was so much fun and I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading it. I finished off my goal of reading four classic novels by reading The Catcher in the Rye, which I did not enjoy one bit. Arrogant white male protagonists are not my cup of tea, I suppose. I listened to What We Were Promised by Lucy Tan on audiobook and I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It was really interesting to read about the culture of China, both historically and present day. I read Michelle Obama’s memoir, Becoming, and loved it so damn much that it was my favorite read of the year. That’s a must read, in my opinion. And, finally, I finished 2018 by reading One Day in December, which I received from Book of the Month. It was a good read, but not a standout.

Movies

The Princess Switch (★★★☆☆) – This movie was really, really cute, if also really, really cheesy. It’s a Netflix original starring Vanessa Hudgens. She plays two characters: down-on-love Stacy who lives in New York and runs a bakery and Lady Margaret, a duchess who must marry a man she doesn’t love in two days. Stacy and Lady Margaret run into each other on the set of a baking competition that Stacy is competing in and discover they look exactly alike, so they decide to switch places for two days. Lady Margaret wants two days to not think about her impending wedding and all the responsibilities that will entail, and Stacy wants a few days to live like royalty. Well, as this is a romantic comedy, Stacy ends up falling in love with Lady Margaret’s fiance and Lady Margaret falls in love with Stacy’s best friend and trouble ensues. It’s completely implausible, but was a cute Christmas movie I watched while wrapping presents.

Podcasts

I loved the episode of How Search and Rescue Dogs Work from Stuff You Should Know. Fascinating!

I found myself enthralled by the Death, Sex & Money episode, When a Banker Was Called to the Convent. What a beautiful, funny soul Sister Josephine is.

On Hysteria, the founder of Moms Demand Action came on to talk about gun control and how much progress has been made in the past few years. It was really interesting!

This American Life just released an episode called The Room of Requirement, which seemed like a love letter to libraries. One of the stories was about the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, which sits right on the border of the US and Canada and is a meeting place for people who aren’t able to leave the US due to Trump’s Muslim ban and their families (who come in via the Canada side). Another story followed a woman connecting with her favorite children’s librarian who brought her hope and inspiration when she needed it. This episode is one of TAL bests, I think, and totally worth a listen.

Posts

I revealed that I’m an Enneagram Nine and what that means for me personally.

I introduced Eloise to the blog!

I made my annual Christmas list as well as talked about my favorite present-day Christmas traditions.

And I completed another round of “Best of…” posts, which is always my favorite series because it allows for such great reflection on my year.

Highlights

> I received the honor of employee of the month at work, which was such a surprise! I mean, I definitely deserved it because I work damn hard at my job, but it was still quite the shock to hear my name (and all the nice things our CEO had to say about me!)

> My mom and I spent an evening together shopping for Christmas presents and then stopped at Steak n Shake for dinner where we enjoyed some very delicious peppermint milkshakes. Best decision!

> I adopted Eloise! Her “gotcha” day is officially December 8th, and my life has not been the same since she came home with me. Life is just so much better now!

> My mom and I had a second Christmas shopping adventure, this time at the mall and this time finishing with an outstanding cannoli cake. We did December right, that’s for sure.

> I finally went to the doctor in mid-December after spending two weeks with a terrible cough that wouldn’t go away and was keeping me up at night. She treated me for bronchitis, sending me home with a z-pack and steroids, which healed me right up! Thank heavens for modern medicine, am I right?

> I upgraded my phone to the iPhone XS and I’m oh-so-happy to make that decision. I’m part of the “iPhone Forever” program through Sprint, which means I can usually upgrade my phone for free whenever I want, so I decided to take the plunge and do it. (What can I say? I desperately wanted Portrait Mode.)

> We had a really fun holiday day at work! We had a cookie bake-off, Secret Santa gift exchange, and everyone wore ugly Christmas sweaters. It was so much fun!

> I met up with my mom and Chip at PetSmart for holiday pictures with Santa. Chip was a little apprehensive about everything, but we got a great photo of him with Santa. (And he looked so handsome in his Christmas bow tie!)

> My girlfriends and I had our annual fancy dinner and Secret Santa gift exchange. It was such a great night!

> My mom had me, my brother, and my nephews over to make Christmas cookies and it was so much fun! I ate a good amount of cookie dough and even the littlest nephew was happy to get in on the action. I can’t wait to do it again next year.

> I spent Christmas Eve baking cookies and then went out to dinner with my mom and stepdad at a fancy steakhouse. It was our second year doing that, so I think it might be our new tradition.

> I already talked about Christmas Day on a previous post, so suffice it to say, it was a lovely day and I felt very loved and happy.

> The day after Christmas, a good friend came over to meet Eloise and Eloise actually came over to her and let her pet her. I was so surprised that she was so friendly! We also ate pizza and watch Ellen’s comedy special on Netflix, so it was a solid night.

> I spent New Year’s at a house party with some friends, and actually got a little emotional as we counted down to the new year, champagne in hand. I have such a blessed life and great friends and I was just so grateful to have such a fun start to 2019.

What was a highlight from December for you?

Meet Eloise

I shared some very exciting news on Instagram yesterday, and now it’s time to share it on my blog. Prepare yourselves, friends, because there’s about to be a whole lot of cat posts and pictures on this blog! Please meet my new little ball of love, Eloise Joy. She is around 6-8 months and was a stray who needed a good home, and I am so blessed to be able to be the one to give that to her.

As many of you were aware, I was planning on getting kittens sometime in the new year. I thought that would be the perfect way to start 2019, since 2018 started on such a low note. However, that’s not exactly what life had in store for me.

Last week, one of my mom’s coworkers texted me about a cat her friend, K., had rescued. She was estimated to be around six to eight months old, a former outside cat who showed up on K’s back porch a few weeks ago in rough condition. She was skin-and-bones with matted hair and was being bullied by one of the other outside cats. K was able to coax her into her garage. K is a cat lover to her core and fosters kitten for a nearby rescue all the time, so she was well familiar with how to take care of Eloise. She fed her, bathed her, and took her to the vet so she could be spayed and dewormed. She also got a round of shots. Gradually, as the weeks progressed, Eloise fattened up, her hair and whiskers started growing back, and she became a snuggly ball of love with K.

And, boy oh boy, did K want to keep Eloise. Unfortunately for K but fortunately for me, K already has a cat and this cat was not a fan of Eloise. He told her in no uncertain terms that K was going to need to find a new home for her.

I met Eloise on Friday, a week ago. She was reserved with me, not quite sure what to make of this strange woman in the only home she’s ever known. She never really warmed up to me on Friday, although she did let me pet her while she was eating and played with me for a short period of time. But even with her reservedness, I knew. She was meant to be mine. We were meant to find each other at this point in time.

On Saturday, I texted K and told her that I wanted to bring Eloise home. K was overjoyed, saying all she wanted was for her to find a good home before Christmas.

And it’s been quite an interesting week for me, learning the ropes of new cat motherhood. 🙂 Eloise is a sweetheart in every sense of the word, but she’s understandably very skittish and unsure of me right now. She spends a lot of time under my bed, although she gets braver as each day passes. Yesterday was the first time she came to me for pets and even let me hold her. Slowly but surely, she’s warming up to me. I have no doubt that she’ll be ruling the roost, running all around the apartment and getting into lots of trouble in no time.

For now, I am so grateful to have her in my life. I already love her immensely and I miss her the whole time I’m at work. I can’t believe how everything worked out. It feels like this was exactly the way it was supposed to happen. This was the cat I’ve been waiting for this whole time. I was meant to be her human and she was meant to be mine.

Serendipity at its finest.

What I’m Reading (11.26.18)

Happy Monday, my friends! I’m finally ready to bring back my “What I’m Reading” series. Yay! It’s been a long time since I last did this, but boy did I miss it.

Last week, I was off work for the holiday and it was a much-needed break. I did a lot of napping, watching episodes of Friends, and spending as much time as possible with my fur-brother Chip. And reading! I finished three books this week and the reviews are below:

Books Finished

Title: Now That You Mention It
Author: Kristan Higgins
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Published: 2017
Format: Library e-book
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Plot Summary: After being hit by a car and then breaking up with her long-time boyfriend, Nora takes a leave of absence from her job to spend a summer at home. She wants to reconnect with her mother and her teenaged niece but finds that’s going to be a lot harder than she ever expected.

My Thoughts: Normally, I love a good Kristan Higgins novel. Her romances are usually light-hearted without falling into the chick-lit category. And while this book had all of that, there was also a level of fat-shaming that I found problematic and irresponsible. You can read my review on Goodreads for further detail on exactly the different types of fat-shaming the author felt necessary to include (oh yes, there were multiple instances of it), but it downgraded my review significantly. I just cannot abide by it anymore. I don’t care how funny or engaging your book is, there is no excuse for fat-shaming ever. And there is no place for it in the world of romance. Basically, Kristan Higgins is now forever on my “do not read” list, which sucks because the last book of hers I read was five stars. But I just cannot support authors who condone these behaviors.

Title: No One Tells You This
Author: Glynnis MacNicol
Genre: Memoir
Published: 2018
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: “If the story doesn’t end with marriage or a child, what then?” is a question that plagued Glynnis MacNicol on the eve of her fortieth birthday. She’s single and childless, two statuses that often come with a level of pity from other people. Over the course of the year, Glynnis is going to figure out exactly what it means to live life on her own terms.

My Thoughts: Oh, how I loved this book! We need more stories from single women who are forging a new, completely different path than what is traditionally defined in our culture. I felt a kindred spirit in Glynnis and even though there were many parts of her story that made me sad (during the year she documents, her mother’s health declines rapidly and she has to go into a nursing home), this story was still uplifting, hopeful, and made me feel better about my chronically single status. I think what really pulled this book together was not only that Glynnis was single and happy with that status, but that she was not always happy with it. There were times when she is deeply vulnerable about wanting a partner and not wanting to be alone. Of recognizing what a couple-centric society we live in, and how much easier the world can be to navigate for those with partners. There was something so human and beautiful in that acknowledgment. Also, Glynnis’s writing is exquisite and she had so many turns of phrases that I had to sit with and soak in.

“[I]t was a truth universally acknowledged that by age forty I was supposed to have a certain kind of life, one that, whatever else it might involve, included a partner and babies. Having acquired neither of these, it was nearly impossible, no matter how smart, educated, or lucky I was, not to conclude that I had officially become the wrong answer to the question of what made a woman’s life worth living. If this story wasn’t going to end with a marriage or a child, what then? Could it even be called a story?”

Title: The High Season
Author: Judy Blundell
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Published: 2018
Format: Library audiobook
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Plot Summary: Every summer, Ruthie, her teenaged daughter Jem, and her ex-husband Mike have to pack up their belongings and give up their home during the summer. It’s the only way to afford the house, which is Ruthie’s pride and joy, so she does what she must to keep it. This summer, though, things are going to get a little crazy when the elegant and popular Adeline Clay arrives and set their seaside village ablaze.

My Thoughts: So, I listened to this book on audio and there were pros and cons to that. On the pros side, this is a slow-moving story that is more character-driven than plot-driven, which always works better for me on audio since I can dip in and out of it. On the cons, though, was that the story could feel boring and meandering at times and it took me forever to figure out who was who. There were so many different characters and it was hard to understand their significance to the overarching plot until further into the story. All in all, though, it was a well-written story that had a lot to say about privilege, love, divorce, art, and the messiness that accompanies being both a teenager and an adult.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile – I’m reading one chapter a day of this book and I think that’s the perfect way to consume a book like this. Each chapter throws a lot of information at you, so it’s really not one to breeze through quickly. I’ll finish it this week, and hopefully, I’ll be able to figure out what my Enneagram number is when I finish it!
  • Happily Ever Ninja by Penny Reid – I’m a quarter of the way through this novel. Since the main characters in this romance are married, it’s not a typical romance. But that’s par for the course with Penny Reid! She’s not a typical romance writer. 😉 It’s engaging so far, but I have no idea where it’s going yet!
  • Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty – I picked this from Book of the Month for November, and I was stoked. Liane Moriarty is one of my favorite authors and I’m looking forward to reading this novel.
  • Starry Night by Debbie Macomber – Even though I’m a voracious romance reader, I don’t tend to read too many Christmassy romances during the holiday season. Well, this year, I’m changing that. I mean, I love a good Hallmark Christmas movie, so why not the same thing in book form? I’m starting my binge with this one by Debbie Macomber, which sounds delightful!

What are you reading?

A Thanksgiving Recap

Yesterday was Thanksgiving here in the US, and while it was a difficult day – the first one without Pops – it was also a good day. I thought it would be fun to recap my day the way Amber usually does for her Canadian Thanksgiving, recapping everything she did and listing out what she’s grateful for. Here we go!

***

I woke up on my own a little before my alarm was set to go off and decided to spend that extra time reading before I needed to get up for the day.

I am so thankful for my love of reading. Reading sustains me, encourages me, comforts me, makes me think, and makes me laugh. I would not be the person I am today without reading.

After spending some time reading, I got up and got ready and then headed over to my mom’s. We went on a long, hour-long walk with Chip. It was 60 degrees, sunny, and so, so beautiful.

I am thankful for my relationship with my mom. We grow closer and closer as the years pass, and I wouldn’t trade our relationship for anything. She’s the best mom and the best friend I could ever ask for. I am thankful for Chip and how he has helped stitch my heart back together after it was shattered from losing Dutch. And I am so thankful for clean, healthy air. It’s never crossed my mind to be grateful for that until I watched news story after news story about these terrible California wildfires and schools and businesses closing because it’s just too dangerous to even walk outside. 

I left my mom’s apartment a little after 10 and zipped right over to Starbucks to order a peppermint mocha, my very favorite drink that I wait for all year long. I had great service, the kind that put a smile on my face.

I am so thankful that I am financially stable that I can order a drink from Starbucks whenever I want. There was a time in my life where even a $5 drink was out of my budget. I am also very thankful for peppermint mochas. 🙂

I came home, drank my peppermint mocha while posting to Instagram Stories and scrolling through social media, and then got ready for Thanksgiving dinner while listening to a podcast.

I am thankful for social media and podcasts – two things that help me feel less alone. Social media helps me connect with people and share my life, while podcasts keep my apartment from feeling too silent. Podcasts have also opened my worldview, encouraged me, and kept me laughing even on days when I thought laughter wasn’t possible. I am so, so thankful for the joy that podcasts bring me.

Our reservations for Thanksgiving dinner were at 1 p.m. at a restaurant downtown, and it was my first non-homecooked meal Thanksgiving. It was… weird. I don’t particularly enjoy all the work that goes into Thanksgiving dinner – the cleaning, the meal prep, the cooking – so I wasn’t sad to give all of that up for a restaurant meal, but it was still a weird experience. My brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews came to dinner (sadly, my stepdad had to work) and it was nice to have a very low-key meal. I have a big family, so Thanksgiving can typically be overwhelming and overstimulating for me, and this was the opposite of that. So, in that respect, it was nice. The food was pretty delicious, although I wish I could have gotten a to-go box for leftovers, haha. But still, nothing beats a homecooked Thanksgiving meal. Maybe next year… or maybe not. We’ll see.

I am thankful to have family to celebrate the holiday with, family I love and who fill my heart up. Family can be difficult… probably the most difficult aspect of the holiday season, but I’m glad to have my family. The boys were cute and fun, and it was so nice seeing my brother (the last time I saw him was at Pops’ funeral, sigh) and chatting with him.

After dinner, we strolled through downtown for a little while to walk off our meal. There was a Christmas tree and lots of Christmassy decorations to look at. We took family photos in front of the tree and then watched the boys chase each other for a little while.

I am thankful for the gorgeous weather that allowed us to walk outside without a) shivering or b) sweating. It was the perfect temperature yesterday! I am also so thankful for my nephews who made me smile and laugh on a difficult day.

I arrived back home a little before 3 p.m. and I immediately took off my makeup, got in comfy clothes, and slid into my bed with a book. And then I napped for… oh, three or so hours. YES.

I am thankful for napping! Oh, man, do I love a good nap. I look forward to my naps and feel zero guilt about taking them. It’s one of the perks of singlehood – napping whenever I want. I take advantage of this any time I can.

After a wonderful, long nap, I took time to post to social media (including a very cute post on Chip’s account) and then had a low-key evening. I watched a few episodes of Friends, ate a snack, and colored.

I am thankful for TV shows that help me take my mind off my sadness whenever I need it to – and Friends has definitely helped me through this season of grief. I am thankful for coloring because it’s one of my favorite methods of self-care. And I am very thankful for chocolate chip cookies. 🙂

The end of my Thanksgiving was spent working on this blog post and reading blogs. It was the perfect ending to a rather emotional day!

I am so thankful for this blog and the joy it brings me. I have recently realized how much blogging truly fills up my life, helps me to feel less alone and sort out my feelings. I’m not sure what my life would look like today without blogging!

Other things I’m thankful for this year: football, my cute apartment, the ability to move my body in the way I want to, medication that moderates my anxiety symptoms, proactive doctors, a job I love, sweet friends, online shopping, my comfy couch, kittens, travel, and homemade pumpkin bread.

What are you thankful for this year?

What I’m Reading (10.8.18)

Happy Monday! My weekend was pretty great – I took in a comedy show with a friend, participated in a local pet walk with my fur-brother Chip, and took a looooong nap on Saturday afternoon. I also started reorganizing my apartment and getting it ready for kittens. Whee!

This week, I finished two books and I gave both of them five stars. Unheard of! Here are my reviews:

Books Finished

Title: Home Front
Author: Kristin Hannah
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Published: 2012
Format: Library hardcover
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: An unexpected deployment takes Jolene far from her family: her two young daughters and her husband of twelve years, Michael.

My Thoughts: This might be my favorite Hannah novel so far – yep, even above The Nightingale. It had everything I love about her novels: authentic characters, a fast plot, and emotion. I cried reading the last 50 pages, and I am not a crier. But this novel packed a punch. I loved how it gave a look into war and deployment from the female perspective, especially with this idea of a mother leaving her children. Jolene is asked numerous times, “How can you leave your children?” which is a question men are never asked. And there was also the perspective of a husband left behind, having to fall into the role of mother and father, and keep the household running. It was an unbelievably beautiful book and definitely earned a spot on my top ten list this year.

Title: On Second Thought
Author: Kristan Higgins
Genre: Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit
Published: 2017
Format: Library e-book
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: After Kate’s husband dies suddenly and Ainsley’s long-time boyfriend dumps her unceremoniously, Ainsley moves in with her sister to help them both heal.

My Thoughts: This novel reminded me why I love Kristan Higgins’s novels so much. She writes families so well and her characters are always so well-rounded. This novel was no different, featuring an incredibly interesting family dynamic and well-written plot. It was heartfelt and funny and moving, and while it could be gut-wrenchingly sad at times, it maintained a level of lightheartedness and sweetness so the novel never felt heavy. The way everything came together in the end was unexpected, but in the best possible way. If you’re looking for a sweet, lighthearted read that also packs an emotional punch, pick this novel up.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henriquez – I’m a little more than halfway through this novel and I’m enjoying it, as much as one can enjoy a sad book. It’s giving me a look at the immigrant experience in an entirely different way.
  • I Knew You Were Trouble by Lauren Layne – My romance for the week! I’m so excited to dive into this one because a Lauren Layne romance is always a great time.
  • A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas – I’ve had this book on my TBR for a long time and I’m glad I’m finally getting around to reading it. It’s about a gender-flipped Sherlock Holmes who masquerades as his sister to solve crimes. I’ve heard rave reviews, so I can’t wait to start it!

What are you reading?

What I’m Reading (9.24.18)

Well. This was a very successful reading week for me. I haven’t finished many books in the past few weeks, but I have five reviews for you today. FIVE. Three of the books I’ve been working on for a few weeks now, one was a short audiobook, and the fifth a novella. So, settle in, my friends, for quite a few reviews.

Books Finished

Title: The Meaning of Michelle: 16 Writers on the Iconic First Lady and How Her Journey Inspires Our Own
Edited by: Veronica Chambers
Published: 2017
Format: Library audiobook
Rating: ★★★★☆

Plot Summary: In this essay collection, 16 writers talk about the impact Michelle Obama had, both in the unconventional way she lived as First Lady and in the way she challenged ideas of what womanhood means in this culture.

My Thoughts: This was such a lovely, lovely read. I listened to the audiobook version, which is just under five hours, so it’s a fast read and a good starting point for anyone wanting to listen to more audiobooks. Michelle Obama had such a massive impact in our culture, and it is especially so for black girls who grew up not seeing themselves reflected in pop culture or politics. But for eight years, we got to have a black First Lady and someone who owned her blackness and celebrated it, someone who was beautiful and gracious but also unflinching in her beliefs. She was unlike any other First Lady in history, and I’m so glad we got to have her for eight years.

Title: Taking Fire
Author: Cindy Gerard
Published: 2016
Format: Library e-book
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Plot Summary: Bobby’s been betrayed by Talia once – six years ago on assignment in Kabul – and when they are unexpectedly reunited at the U.S. Embassy in Oman and thrust into a dangerous mission, he has to decide whether or not he can trust her again.

My Thoughts: Cindy Gerard is one of my favorite romantic suspense authors, but I haven’t loved her last few novels as much as her previous ones. There’s something that feels… forced. The characters don’t feel real, the plot isn’t as dynamic as usual. This one even repeated a plot line from one of her previous novels, which I found to be just lazy writing. Plus, this book included my most-hated romance trope, a plot I just cannot get behind no matter what. Was the story well-paced and well-written? Yes. Was the action exciting? Of course. But I just expected more from Gerard.

Title: Persuasion
Author: Jane Austen
Published: 1817
Format: e-book
Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

Plot Summary: Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth were betrothed once, but she was persuaded by her dear family friend to break off the engagement since the match was unworthy. Eight years later, Wentworth returns as a successful sea captain, only to find Anne’s family at the brink of financial ruin and his sister renting the Elliot’s house.

My Thoughts: I gave Jane Austen a fair shot, and I have decided she is just not for me. And no, I don’t feel bad about this. I don’t feel I have to like Austen to be a “good bookworm.” I had to use SparkNotes to understand what was happening in this book, as so much of the language went over my head, and my reading experience was just not enjoyable. The plot could be considered compelling, but the writing felt so dense that it was hard to really get engaged in what was happening.

Title: Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life
Author: Emily Nagoski
Published: 2015
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: This book, written by a human sexuality expert, explores woman’s sexuality – how it works, why it doesn’t sometimes, and how women can have fulfilling and happy sex lives.

My Thoughts: This book is life-changing, and it’s a book I want to get in the hands of every woman I know. I think it is so, so important to understand how sexual functioning works and why it sometimes doesn’t. I have a lot of thoughts about this book, and I’m going to save most of them for the blog post I intend to write very soon, once I’m able to formulate my thoughts into something coherent. I understand that it can be embarrassing for women to talk about sex (and to have a book like this on their Goodreads profile, ha), but I think that’s the whole point of this book. We need to stop being embarrassed, to stop thinking our pleasure doesn’t matter. It does. We do. And this book is a great stepping stone for that.

Title: Never, Never: Part Three
Author: Colleen Hoover, Tarryn Fisher
Published: 2016
Format: Library paperback
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Plot Summary: In this third and final novella, Silas and Charlie are desperate to find out why they continue to lose their memories every three days.

My Thoughts: Oy vey. I was so intrigued after part one – it was so well-written and I just needed to know what happened next. Part two was less intriguing, probably because Silas and Charlie spent most of the novel apart and it felt like the authors were opening so many different doors. And part three? Part three was so disappointing. The reason for Silas and Charlie losing their memory was… silly. The loose ends that were opened up in parts one and two were never fully wrapped up. I think the problem with this series was breaking a full book into three novellas (still not sure why the authors did that…) I think it could have been much stronger as one book, and I think it would have been easier to really wrap this series up in the right way. Meh.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Fear: Trump in the White House by Bob Woodward – I was surprised to get an email from my library saying the audiobook was ready for my to download! (When I checked it a few weeks ago, I was #24 on the list and they had one copy.) It is so, so good and reads like fiction.
  • Home Front by Kristin Hannah – Kristin Hannah is the kind of writer where I really have to be in the right frame of mind to read one of her books. Mostly because her books always pack an emotional punch, and most times, they have a slow pace. I’m a little over 100 pages into this novel, and I am loving it. It’s just so good, although I can tell it’s probably going to completely destroy me by the time I finish it. Eeks.
  • Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid – I’m about halfway into this contemporary romance, the fifth in Reid’s Winston Brothers series. So far, so good. (I’m reading it in between pages of Home Front because sometimes, I need a break from that heavy-ish read!)
  • On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins – Once I finish Dr. Strange Beard, this is next on my list! Higgins used to be one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, but she’s moved into women’s fiction and I haven’t read her recent releases. Remedying that now!

What are you reading this week?

What I’m Reading (9.3.18)

Happy Labor Day, my fellow American readers. Is there anything better than a three-day weekend? I think not! It’s been so nice to have a nice, long weekend where I can relax, get outside, and read as much as possible. I’m definitely trying to take advantage of all the sunny weather we’ve been having here in Florida (and since fall doesn’t exist here, wah, it’s something I’ll be taking advantage of for at least the next few months).

Last week, I finished two books and here are my reviews!

Books Finished

Title: Beartown
Author: Fredrick Backman
Published: 2017
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★★★

Plot Summary: Beartown is a hockey town, and the entire town’s hopes and dreams lie in the men’s junior ice hockey team where the national semi-final match is the catalyst for everything. By the end of the night, a violent act will have been committed and a town will be in turmoil.

My Thoughts: Okay, yes, sign me up – I am fully on board with the Beartown love. This book was phenomenal. Backman is such an incredible wordsmith, crafting sentence after sentence that had me setting the book down to recover. He really and truly got to the heart of what it’s like when a small town is broken apart by violence, and how each side wants to be heard. In this instance, there is only one right side, but the way Backman explored how people respond to tragedy when it relates to revered sports stars is so timely and important. This book should be required reading, although I do caution anyone who reads this book that the first half is kiiiiinda a slog. While I didn’t have to force myself to keep reading (Backman’s writing is so exquisite and kept me engaged), I do understand why someone might abandon the book at page 100. But, trust me, it is worth it. It is so, so worth it. You most definitely won’t regret spending time with this story.

Title: Love and Other Words
Author: Christina Lauren
Published: 2018
Format: Paperback
Rating: ★★★☆☆

Plot Summary: Elliot was Macy’s first love, and when she runs into him in a busy coffee shop in San Francisco 11 years after they imploded, she can’t help but question everything about her life and what would have happened if their last fateful night had never occurred.

My Thoughts: After reading and loving Roomies earlier this year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on another Christina Lauren romance, but this one didn’t live up to my high expectations. The novel alternates between two timelines: “now” and “then.” “Now” takes place in present day in which it has been 11 years since Elliot and Macy have spoken to one another. They are both in their late twenties, leading completely separate lives. “Then” takes place from the time Macy was 14 until she turned 18, and gives readers the back story between Elliot and Macy. I loved the “then” story line and felt like it worked so perfectly. I could totally understand why Macy would fall in love with Elliot and their romance felt real and true. The “now” story line, however, did not work for me at all. It felt rushed and impractical, and there were times when I really, really could not stand Macy. I wanted the authors to explore their dynamic as adults and what Macy and Elliot have been doing in the time they’ve been apart. I wanted to know why these two are meant to be together now. Sure, they were each other’s first loves, but how does that correlate to the people they are today? First loves are often not last loves, so what makes Macy and Elliot’s love different? I don’t feel like that was explored at the length it should have been to make the romance believable.

What I’m Reading This Week

  • Persuasion by Jane Austen – I started this novel over the weekend to meet my goal of reading four classics in 2018. I’ve never read a Jane Austen book (I tried to read Pride and Prejudice in high school for a class project, but I gave up and just read the Cliff’s Notes version in order to complete the project), so I chose one of her shorter novels. And, oy, is it slow going. I have to read sentences three or four times to understand what she’s trying to say, but I’m getting through it and I don’t hate it, so that’s saying something.
  • My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante – I started this novel over the weekend, too! I’m not quite sure how I feel about it. The writing isn’t totally grabbing me, but it’s not not grabbing me, either. There’s something lovely about the setting and the characters, but I also don’t feel like I would be sad if I just stopped reading the novel. Still debating if I want to abandon it, which is typically a sign I should abandon it. 😉
  • Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan – In between Persuasion and My Brilliant Friend, I’m picking up this light-hearted romance novel by one of my favorite contemporary romance author. It’s got that Hallmark Christmas movie appeal that I’m digging.
  • A Million Junes by Emily Henry – It’s the beginning of the new month, which means it’s time to listen to a new fiction audiobook. This one was immediately available to download from Overdrive, and it’s gotten rave reviews from friends. I’m hoping I love it just as much!

What are you reading?