Friday, August 31, 2018

Have You Heard? // Broods - "Peach"

HAPPY FRIDAY FRIENDS! And hooray if you also get a long weekend this weekend! :) CELEBRATE!


Broods is my favorite, so I was super stoked so see that they had a new single! I love it, so catchy and fun!



Can't wait to hear more of the new album!!

What are you guys up to this (long!) weekend?!

Tonight my girlfriends are coming over for a movie night, I'm super jazzed about it! It's been a long time since we've just stayed in and watched something fun together! KC and I are planning to keep settling into our new house, and hopefully do some fun things! I've been jonesing to read without interruption and also to do something crafty! :) :) I also feel like I'd be up for going out to a movie or something, we'll see!! :) Also, I'm having withdrawls, I haven't seen my nephew or my sister for too long! *cough* Jess! Let's hang out! Also, we definitely need to do some yard work, clean out the car, and actually get some groceries. LOL

Other Posts This Week: Let's Just Stop Book Shaming // Thoughts on Romance Novels and My FAVORITE Velvet Dress Three Ways.

On Year of Gratitude This Week: A Room for Books.

Also, I LOVED Nadine's post about not knowing what she wants to be when she grows up on Lindsey's blog! SO MUCH YES. Amen lady, and I feel ya!!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

XO,

Alexandra

Thursday, August 30, 2018

My FAVORITE Velvet Dress Three Ways

Sooo... I'm ready for fall....

I know a lot of you commented last fall that you would love to add velvet to your wardrobe, but aren't sure how. I am still loving the velvet trend, and it's not going anywhere! (REJOICE!)

I have a few tips, which I guess I should post :P, but I thought that I would share this post first. A fairly basic velvet dress can be dressed up or down very easily, especially in the cooler months!

Here are three of my go-to looks for this burgundy velvet dress! (IT NOW COMES IN BLACK TOO!) :) It is stretchy, comfortable, flattering, and looks good with EVERYTHING.

I am not being sponsored or getting any payment for sharing this link, I simply adore the dress! However, if you want to purchase from Modcloth, please feel free to use my referral code for 20% off $75 or more! :) And if you were curious, they make returns super easy, which is a must for me in the online shopping world!

All right, let's gooo!

Casual:


I love how the dark neutral color allows me to mix and match with my everyday basics like my favorite utility jacket, black tights, my Sam Edelman booties, and a fun pom pom scarf!

Cozy:


Chilly days call for an oversized cardigan, a knit scarf, tights, and my uggs! I love that this dress is stretchy and sooo comfortable! I feel like I'm wearing pajamas, but it's professional enough to wear to work or cute enough to meet friends!

Dressy:



Lastly, this dress is perfect for special events! Especially during the holidays! Adding some sparkly jewelry, or an embellished cardigan helps me feel so polished! My sister even borrowed this dress for her husband's work Christmas party last year! I've also dressed this up with patterned flats and my burgundy moto jacket that has pretty rose gold hardware!

There you go, three ways to wear my favorite velvet dress

How do you feel about velvet?!

Do you have a dress that you can dress up or down for any occasion?

I am not being sponsored or getting any payment for sharing this link, I simply adore the dress! However, if you want to purchase from Modcloth, please feel free to use my referral code for 20% off $75 or more! :) And if you were curious, they make returns super easy, which is a must for me in the online shopping world!


XO,

Alexandra

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Let's Just Stop Book Shaming // Thoughts on Romance Novels

Welp. I know I've had mini rants on this topic before... but here's a longer one. And some of y'all chimed in! So make sure to scroll to the bottom and find out why (other) real-life romance readers enjoy these books. :)

image via google

Last week I wrote a post on reading romance novels for Year of Gratitude. The gist of the post is that in 2018 I "allowed" myself to read genres and books that I might have previously rolled my eyes at. Silly covers are partially to blame, of course. I didn't want to read romance novels or heavy science fiction because they looked over-the-top and therefore seemed intimidating. However, reading these books has actually taught me that there is merit in all genres, and that it's good to do what you are feeling, and not worry about what others think. It's also totally fine to read a fluffy novel: not everything we read needs to be a literary masterpiece.

Upon doing a little research on romance novels and getting pictures for my post... I stumbled across an article (I hesitate to link this... but it's so bad you guys, that I have to) that basically starts out by saying that women read romance novels because they are "STARVED" for satisfying intimacy in their real lives. My first reaction was laughter. This has got to be a joke right?! Is this site like The Onion?! No... it's real. My second reaction is absolute fury... because, really? We're going to say that a billion dollar industry thrives on the sexual frustration and loneliness of millions of women? Um, no. I'm sure that some readers fit that bill, but I am also sure that some readers are just the opposite.

There is a reason that romance novels made up 29% of fiction in 2015 (source), and make up 46% of all mass market paperbacks sold in America (source). And I'll give you a hint... it's not because women are too sex starved, or too stupid to read other books. Many women enjoy reading romance because it is fun, it is often well-written, and it gives us a lovely mental break in between other books that we read. (Especially modern women who juggle family, school, and work life, and keep up with current events who might need a break from the heavy stuff.)

Romance novels also vary wildly in their content: from proper romance to Hallmark-y romance, paranormal romance, historical romance, BDSM and everything in between there is a type of romance novel for everyone. A recent trend in present-day romance novels are "smart romances" where the characters have a lot of emotional, career, etc. depth in addition to their love stories. Young romance readers are also asking for more diversity in their romance novels. I love seeing all of the places that romance novels have gone.

In addition to "smart romances" many other romance sub genres like historical romance and paranormal romance take so much research to create. I read a novel that took place on a ship in the 1700's and I LEARNED SO MUCH! I was like a kid in a candy shop learning how a ship is run, who does what, etc. These authors know their stuff, and not just the romantic things.

Lastly, romance novels are ultra feminist. Often written for women, by women, about things that women are interested in. Topics ranging from: women's relationships, thoughts on sexuality, friendships and support, careers-life balance, going after our dreams. It's all there in so many of these books, and it has been for years. I think that's pretty powerful.

Bottom Line: Let people read what they like, and leave them alone about it. Don't base an entire reader-base's interest in a genre on their sex life or intelligence. That's just pathetic.

What Y'all Had To Say:


 



Helpful & Entertaining Links:

The Ripped Bodice - State of Racial Diversity in Romance Publishing Report
Nielsen - Romance Readers by the Numbers (2016)
Why Smart Women Read Romance Novels
Men, Stop Lecturing Women About Reading Romance Novels
The Changing Face of Romance Novels (Thanks for sending to me, Heather!)
Powerful Twitter Responses as To Why Romance Novels Matter to Readers 

See my Favorite Romance Novels (or romance in novels) here.

What do you think? 

Have you ever been book shamed?

Is there a genre (or genres) that you are embarrassed to read?!

XO,

Alexandra

Friday, August 24, 2018

Have You Heard? // Marshmello feat. Bastille - "Happier"

Happy Friday Friends! Today we are busy packing, moving, etc. FINALLY!!!!!!!! :)

We have floors, check out Instagram to see them. I've never been so excited about wooden planks in my life.



Today I'm sharing a new Bastille song with Marshmello. I looove it. Catchy as always.



What are you guys up to this weekend?!

We're moving. MOVING. ! :) 

Other Posts This Week: Guernsey & Lara Jean

On Year of Gratitude This Week: Rainy Day Musings From My Front Porch

XO,

Alexandra

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Guernsey & Lara Jean

TODAY WE ARE FINALLY GETTING OUR FLOORS PUT IN AFTER THREE MONTHS OF IMPATIENCE! We are SO SO SO excited to get it finished up and move in this weekend, finally! :)

It's been a good month for book-to-movie adaptations. While these are not the only two that have come out (I'm looking at you, Crazy Rich Asians!), they were highly anticipated for me!


The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows - Now on Netflix

Plot: Juliet, a London journalist takes up correspondence with Dawsey, a citizen of Guernsey (an island off England's coast) after WWII. Guernsey was occupied by the Germans during the war, and Dawsey tells of his and his friend's book club that kept their spirits up during the war. As Juliet learns more about the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society she makes the trip to Guernsey to write meet and write about this extraordinary group of people.

My Thoughts: I absolutely adored this adaptation of Guernsey. It was so atmospheric and everything about it really swept you up into the story. I thought that Lily James did a wonderful job, as did the rest of the star-studded cast. I thought that the film version might be harder to watch than the book was to read, but I thought that they handled the sad parts very well. (and they left out one part that made me particularly sad, so yay!) One of my favorite things about the story is it's focus on resilience, it translated well into the movie version.



To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han - Now on Netflix

Plot: Lara Jean writes a letter to her crush when she's ending it. She keeps them hidden in a box, but one day the letters get sent. Now, all of the boys she's loved before are coming out of the wood work. Including her sister's newly ex-boyfriend, Josh. In order to keep Josh from finding out her true feelings, she starts a fake relationship with someone else who received a letter, Peter K.

My Thoughts: This is my favorite contemporary YA series, I adore everything about it. I was a little nervous about the film adaptation, but thought it was very well handled. For one thing, I loved seeing a POC as the main character, in a movie! I loved Jenny Han's article on the topic as well. One of my favorite things about the stories is the family relationships between Lara Jean, her sisters, and their father. The movie did such a good job capturing those familial ties and sibling quirks. All of the teen swooniness and cringe-worthy moments were intact as well. I *heart* Peter K. I cannot wait for the next movies! I hope to goodness that they make them! :)

Have you seen or read either of these?! If so, what did you think?

Have you seen or read Crazy Rich Asians yet?!

What's your favorite book-to-movie adaptation?

XO,

Alexandra

Friday, August 17, 2018

Have You Heard? // Baby Bash - "Suga Suga" // Throwback

Happy Friday Friends! It's been a crazy few weeks with lots of plans, lots of work events, and of course lots of work in our new house. *breathes in and out of paper bag*

BUT GUESS WHAT?! TODAY IS THE DAY THAT TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE IS ON NETFLIX!!! :) :) Also, Guernsey is on Netflix now, and it was AMAZING! Have you watched either?! Do you plan to?!



We are *FINALLY* getting our flooring installed next Thursday and then we can move in! YASS! :) Cross your fingers for us that we don't have any issues this time! It's been a looong three months of trying to get floors put in!

Do you guys remember this song? It was one of my jams in middle school. :)



I just love it as a fun throwback song.

What are you guys up to this weekend?! 

We are hopefully going to be finishing up packing, painting, etc. so we can move in late next week/weekend! :) HOORAY! It's been what feels like a long time coming! I also hope to get some reading in, and a few episodes of my newest obsession: HGTV's Home Town!

Other Posts This Week: July 2018 Reads & Keep It Together Blog Hop.

On Year of Gratitude This Week: It's Abs-olutely Okay to Read Romance Novels.

Have a great weekend!!

XO,

Alexandra

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Keep It Together: A Planning & Memory Keeping Blog Hop - August 2018

Happy Thursday friends! It is one of the most fun days of month: Keep It Together day with Lauren at Shooting Stars Mag! :) It's the day when we talk about all things planning and memory keeping! :) 





I'm so excited for another edition of Keep It Together with Lauren from Shooting Stars Mag today! :) This linkup is all about planners, memory keeping, bullet journals, etc. So please feel free to linkup your posts on the Third Thursday of every month! Make sure to hop on over to Lauren's page and check out her post too! :)

Planning:

I've not had a lot of time to document lately... or plan... I've been more of a set an phone alarm or calendar reminder or I will forget it forever kind of planner lately... but I have goals to be less frazzled again someday. I have been trying to at least keep lists of things to-do when I can in my bullet journal, and I got a cute  new planner for 2019 that I can't wait to share with you guys.

Goals Scrapbook:

Here is a look at my March goals notebook. I had a lot of fun playing with water color and more items from Maggie Holmes's "Flourish" collection. I loooove the lemon printed paper. It was fun to have a month where I had some energy back. It ended up being a very emotionally taxing month, but I was glad to document those struggles and little successful moments too.


Going through this journal and documenting things has really helped me to be grateful despite struggle, and reflect on the challenges and successes (however small) so far this year. Really excited to get more months documented!

Sad News:

Many of you already know this, but I lost all of my photos from our trip to Cuba and Cozumel (unless a miracle occurs with my iphone). I am very very very sad about it. :(

Water Color:

For years I found water color very frustrating, the pigments were so faint and hard to work with. I've done some playing and trying of products and I am sharing what I've found and my go-to technique with you in this fairly long but helpful video. If you've been struggling or curious, check this out!



What have you guys been up to?

Do you journal to get things off your chest? 

Have you tried water colors? Do you have a favorite brand of paints?


   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   


XO,

Alexandra

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Roaring, Swinging, Fabulous, Groovy Blog Collaboration // 1970's

Howdy all. It's been another nutzo month around here. The newest development is that I lost all of my photos from our cruise... and all of our house pictures as we work on it. Unless a miracle occurs. Please send good vibes, prayers, whatever you do my way.

Anyhow, let's get into the linkup! Today we're talking about the 1970's! Make sure to hop on over and check out Audrey's blog too! :)

On the first Tuesday of the month, February through November, we're highlighting books & films from/about specific eras that we recommend! (Television shows, too, sometimes!) There's no commitment or link-up during those months on your end, but in December we’ll host a recap/link-up for the entire year!

I fully admit that I am not super into the 1970's. So I don't have a lot to share with you today, but I'm not giving up. haha


I guess I haven't read any books set in the 1970s.... *shrugs*



My Girl - a classic from my childhood!
Mama Mia: Here We Go Again -- lots of fun if you enjoyed the original. I looove Lily James, so it was fun to see her play young Donna. :)



There's a whole part of one of my fave shows (Witches of East End) that happens in the 1970s. We're going to call this good enough... lol!



Almost Famous (movie)
The Great Alone (book)
American Hustle (movie)

Be sure to hope over to Audrey’s blog and check out her recommendations!

Can you believe we’re already moonwalking our way into the 1980s next month?! Join us as we say goodbye to The Cold War, John Lennon, and Bob Marley, and say hello to leg warmers, heavy metal bands, and the Brat Pack!

Have you read or watched any of these?!

XO,

Alexandra

Monday, August 6, 2018

July 2018 Reads // Netgalley Picks

I know that next week is book week... but this post was feeling rather long, and I wanted to get it out into the world! :)

Another month buried in paint, garden compost, cleaners, and flooring debacles. As with the past few months.. I spent much of my non-working time with my nose in a book. I read 8 books this month, and while I am pleased with that, I am more so pleased with the number of genres I read this month!



Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley*

3.5 - 4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy historical fiction that jumps back and forth in time.

When Charley moves to Long Island to take care of her niece and her deceased brother's home, she takes a job at a historic home to turn it into a museum. As she works within the home, they uncover the hidden history of the people who lived there. Among the people who lived in the home Lydia and a detained French officer Jean-Philippe. As Charley uncovers the past, the story is told through the past and the present, and mysteries will be uncovered.

The dedication is incredibly thoughtful and important. This was my first Kearsley novel, I loved the alternating time periods, and the bits of mystery woven in with the historical fiction. I loved how elements would carry from one time period to the next: draft deserters, important locations, specific cultures, and even just little things like a storm blowing in. I thought that the story was overall pretty satisfying, but a little bit slow. It felt a bit anticlimactic for me, though I didn't dislike the ending. I liked learning more about the French and Indian War, and life during that time period. I liked the teeny hints of supernatural activity. Overall I would recommend if you enjoy historical fiction that jumps back and forth in time.

Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson*

5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy pseudo-fantasy adventure books. This doesn't have a ton of fantasy elements in it, but doesn't take place in the real world.

When Jase Ballenger's father dies, he is now the leader of their unofficial kingdom of outlaws. His father always wanted recognition from the queen that their kingdom was a real one... and now Jase takes it upon himself to get the queen to visit them. Kazi is one of the queen's most trusted guards, and a legendary street thief. When she is sent to investigate Jase's lands, things quickly spiral out of control. Jase and Kazi are taken by a labor hunter, and chained at together at the ankle. They must escape, and find a way back to their old lives before their reputations are damaged. As they have to work together to escape, they begin to understand a bit more of each other's worlds. However, understanding doesn't erase crime, or orders from the queen.

I really enjoyed this fast paced novel! This story of two people from different worlds is filled with political intrigue, secrecy, action, and understanding. I felt like the world this novel is set in mirrors so many issues the real world is facing right now: immigration, prejudice, poverty, and trust. I loved seeing those things built into this story and explored in a different world. I wouldn't call this fantasy. but it is not quite set in the real world either. So even if you don't like fantasy, this one won't feel too fantastical for you. I loved the characters, they were complicated and a lot of fun. Jase and Kazi were great main characters, but I loved Kazi's relationship with her girlfriends too. They were so tough and brave. I also really loved Jases's family. With books like this I often find a weak spot... there isn't enough plot, or the romance is predictable, or something seems underdeveloped.... that is not the case with this one. It was extremely solid, start to finish. Highly recommend if you enjoy pseudo-fantasy adventure books. I will admit I am not sure what the last chapter meant... and I can't wait to find out in the next book!

The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker*

4 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy contemporary women's fiction that centers upon family drama, adventure, and a bit of romance.

Calla's mother married an Alaskan "sky cowboy" but couldn't live her life in the remote Alaskan Bush. She packed up her baby, and left her husband hoping he would follow. Calla has grown up with her mother and step-father in Toronto, with very little contact with her father. When she gets a call from Alaska telling her that her father has cancer, Calla flies across the country to reconnect with him. Along the way she meets a surly young pilot named Jonah, who is her father's right-hand-man. He clearly loves Alaska, and thinks that Calla is a stuck up city girl. Along the way Calla and Jonah will have to work together on the charter plane company, and taking care of her father as his health quickly deteriorates. But will they make the same mistake that Calla's parents made years ago?

This book was a really satisfying mix of adventure, family dynamics and found family dynamics, romance, humor, and bittersweet moments. While this book is romantic it has a lot more to it than just romance. Though it took a while to get to the Alaska plot, I loved it fully once we got there. I definitely recommend if you like a well rounded contemporary novel with some romance in it. The chemistry was really great, and I loved all of the side characters and the way of life in the Alaskan Bush. I also liked that this isn't the kind of romantic relationship where the characters can't communicate. Finally. I absolutely died laughing during the part where he falls asleep on a muscle relaxer. SO FUNNY.

The Finnish Way: Finding Courage, Wellness, and Happiness Through the Power of Sisu by Katja Pantzar

3.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy books that explore happiness in other cultures.

This book follows the author's journey from life in North America filled with depression, fatigue, etc. to a life of wellness in Finland due to the concept of Sisu. Sisu roughly translates to fortitude through struggle or grit. It encourages you to get up and do the thing that is hard because it is rewarding and healthful to you. Throughout the book Patnzar explores her own experience, as well as the experience of Finns she knows. A big portion of this book are spent exploring the topics of winter swimming, year-round cycling, saunas, and time in nature.

Overall, I found this book to be enjoyable, encouraging, and soothing to read. I liked the concept of Sisu and found it to be quite similar to being goal-oriented. I feel that that part of my personality has become lazy and a little lost in anxiety in recent years, so reading this book definitely gave me some encouragement there. I like the reminder that it feels good and is better for you to do the hard thing, to do something that isn't always fun. That building healthy habits into your life and day make a big impact. I loved reading about the author's experience treating her depression and the fatigue that comes with it with winter swimming, sauna, and year-round cycling. There isn't anything in this book that is entirely earth-shattering, but most of it is posed in a way that is very un-American, and therefore helpful I think. It certainly led to me taking a few moments at the end of most showers with frigid water in an attempt to reap the benefits of winter swimming. I would recommend this book if you enjoy these types of books.

Trust by Casey Daim*

3 Stars? -  I'm not sure I can recommend this one....

I *might* recommend this book if you enjoy over the top NA books, and don't mind incredibly explicit scenes. I requested this one because the plot sounded really different from other romance I have read... however, it ended up being a little too much for me. There was a lot going on with the drama, action, and sex scenes. Overall, I enjoyed this, but felt like nothing was surprising because everything was inserted into the plot for shock value. Maybe just not my kind of book.

Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren*

5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, quirky characters, and lot of heart.

Hazel is loud, unapologetic, eccentric, and wholly herself. Because her "Hazelness" often causes her to embarrass herself, she knows she is "undateable" to Josh, her college crush. When they meet again years later, not much has changed, but Hazel makes it her mission to become his best friend. As they explore their friendship they begin going on a series of wacky double blind dates, in the hopes of setting each other up. As time goes on, it will be harder to ignore the person they both want to be on the date with, each other.

This is my favorite Christina Lauren book to date. I absolutely loved Hazel and Josh. Their friendship and later chemistry was so good. I loved that they were quirky, I loved their friend and family dynamics. Hazel reminded me a lot of Jess from New Girl, but mixed with someone a lot more forthcoming about sex and frequent cursing. As the book went on she felt more like her own character. I am so glad that this book features a POC as one of the main characters, and appreciated the depth that it added to this novel. I particularly loved Josh's family dynamics and how his heritage shaped his character. As always with their books I laughed out loud so many times, but I also was fairly emotional about the story line, which is rare for me with a romance. I loved the epilogue. Though I could have done with the skipped part before the epilogue as well. I loved the whole thing. Highly recommend. *publishes September 4th*

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy a more realistic take on a romance novel.

When Alexa and Drew get stuck in a hotel elevator together, he talks her into attending his ex's wedding with him that weekend. What starts out as a no-strings-attached, pretend dating weekend, quickly turns into something more. Starting a long distance fling, dealing with busy career lives, issues of race, and communication cause trouble for the two of them. Will they be able to make it work? Or was their relationship better left to the pretend weekend?

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I loved Drew and Alexa's meet cute in the elevator and I loved their banter. I found this book to be a much more realistic portrayal of romance than many romance books. Because of that it felt a bit less exciting, there wasn't a ton of anticipation... but I did really enjoy seeing their journey as the book went on. I liked that this book features diversity in it's characters as well. I liked that race and privilege were discussed some in this book. It wasn't a huge focus, but I really appreciated that it wasn't ignored. I also liked that body image was mentioned from time to time and that wasn't an issue in their romantic relationship. I really didn't like Drew very much... haha, but I did like his bromance with his friend Carlos. (Guillory's next book is about Carlos and I can't wait to read it!) Probably my favorite bit of the book was when it mentions that feeling of homecoming that you get after a hard day, knowing someone is there for you. It's so so realistic, and very under used in romantic fiction. I highly recommend if you're looking for a realistic romance novel.

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Huang

5 Stars - OH MY GOD READ THIS!

Stella Lane is a thirty year old math and economics expert, with more money than she knows what to do with. When her parents express interest in having grandchildren, she wants nothing more than to please them. However, Stella is not good at dating or anything that comes with it. It doesn't help that Asperger's makes her feel easily overstimulated and like she is bad at social interactions. She decides that the best way to go about it is to hire an expert and learn how to check all of the boxes in her sexual lesson plan. Michael Phan is an escort who has slept with hundreds of women, but he's never met anyone like Stella. His mother is sick, and he needs the money, so Stella's offer is much too tempting to pass up. As their lessons progress, it becomes harder to ignore the real feelings bubbling under the surface.

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH. I am pretty darn stingy with my 5 star reviews... but this one deserved it, hands down. A few reasons why before I go into full gush... 1) this is an own voices novel with a neurodiverse main character, 2) the characters in this book are also racially diverse, 3) the side characters (mostly family members) are so freaking adorable and colorful, 4) it is sexy as hell. I love, love, love everything about this book. The premise (gender swapped Pretty Woman) is adorable, alluring, and refreshed completely in this novel. Stella is such a fascinating character. She's really strong, independent, and shows character growth (but like Kristin mentioned in her review, isn't "fixed" by falling in love, AMEN!). Michael is .. le swoon. You guys... His character has SO MANY LAYERS. So many! I loved him. His relationship with his family made me grin, and laugh, and tear up. I absolutely loved loved loved any bit of the book with his mom, grandma, many sisters, or his cousin. Yet again, this is another book with a good bromance Michael and Quang. Yas. I also loved seeing bits of his family's Vietnamese culture. It was so interesting. I liked so much that this book is not *all* sexy, but when it is sexy... it's REALLY SEXY. The only teeeny thing I didn't love was the epilogue. I could have gone for something different there, but it was like 3 pages long... so really not a huge deal. There is so much more going on here, so much character development... so many heartfelt moments... so many quirky bits of dialogue... I just... can't even. I will read ANYTHING Helen Hoang writes. Cannot, cannot, cannot, cannot wait for her next book!!!!!!

I am working on Erin's 9.0 Challenge, but also trying to read a lot of Netgalley picks and other ARCs before they publish. 

Linking up with Jana and Steph for Show Us Your Books next week. :) 


What have you been reading? What do you hope to read this month?! 


Let's be friends on Goodreads!


XO,


Alexandra

* Asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley