Friday, June 29, 2018

Have You Heard? // "High Horse" - Kacey Musgraves

Something strange is happening to me, I am all about country things these days. Admittedly, country lite.. but I read a romance novel about a country band, I find myself wanting to watch Nashville, and I'm listening to all sorts of things I don't normally. Getting old... LOL!



Here's a pretty poppy country song by Kacey Musgraves. I'm pretttty sure that I am the high horse person in the lyrics...but that's ok. LOL I still like the song.



Super catchy and fun! :)

What are you guys up to this weekend?!

Tonight we are having a painting party at our new house! That means that we are getting pizzas, beer, and wine and then our lovely friends are going to help us paint! Which is wonderful for so so many reasons. One of which being I AM SO TIRED OF PAINTING! Lol. ;) Other than that, I am not sure what we are up to next weekend! My birthday is next week, so KC might have some sneaky plans. Otherwise I'll be reading, packing, painting, and maybe doing some documenting! :)

Other Posts This Week: Snapshots of Northwest Arkansas!

On YouTube This Week: 2018 Goals Traveler's Notebook // February

On Year of Gratitude This Week: Mindful Eating.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! 

XO,

Alexandra

Monday, June 25, 2018

Snapshots of Northwest Arkansas // April 2018

We're headed out on our cruise so soon, and we'll be completely unplugged! Woohoo! :) I realized that I never posted about our Arkansas trip.



You might remember that we had been struggling to travel so far this year. February was too busy. March our plans fell through and then we ended up spending a week with Olivia. In April we finally made it off on a quick road trip to Bentonville and Fayetteville, AR.

This may not sound like an exciting destination but it was really appealing to us for several reasons:

1) a great art museum
2) the drive was short
3) the perfect distance for a weekend trip
4) Freckled Hen Farmhouse



























We ended up taking it pretty slowly. We chose our places to visit along the way, and based on who we were feeling at the time, and we relaxed. (I am a horrible relaxer.) We ate slow meals. We had a drink or two. We browsed tons of bookshops. AS EVIDENCED ABOVE... ^^ We turned in early and just read and cuddled. It was so nice.

The museum was fun, and the food was great, but it was definitely more of a relaxing trip than a travel one. Did I mention the books...?

Eat:

Yeyo's Mexican Grill - This place was in what looked like a re-purposed school, but had the coolest vibe inside. The burritos were on point, and everyone who worked there was super nice. They also had black and white Mexican movies playing which was fun. Highly recommend.

Tavloa Trattoria - We actually went here twice.. because it was SO good and didn't have strange hours. I got this incredible pesto pasta with steak on it. The sangria was great. Basically if you like Italian, and or just kind of an upscale casual place, this one was so good! :)

Flying Fish - This place is an Arkansas chain, but it was really really good. I loved the catfish. Seriously, some of the best I've ever had, not greasy at all. Perhaps part of the charm was the "ambiance" the billy bass adoption center was adorable. I love that rather than throwing them out you can give them to this place and they'll give you free catfish. It was fun to see how many there were and the different ways that they were decorated.

The Buttered Biscuit - We went here for breakfast and it was pretty good. This is a relatively new but local institution. My breakfast was decent, but I wasn't over the moon about it. KC got some fancy pancakes and really liked them. The atmosphere was fun and it was PACKED.

Hammondtree's Grilled Cheese - This restaurant is very popular in Fayetteville. It has a decidedly laid back, funky sort of vibe that only a college town can achieve. We got grilled cheeses and loaded fries. It was pretty darn good. Everyone there was really friendly.

See: Downtown Fayetteville, Street Art, Billy Bass Adoption Center at "Flying Fish", the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art and Grounds.

Shop:

Freckled Hen Farmhouse - This is funnily enough one of the main reasons I wanted to go down to Arkansas. This store is the cutest! They carry so many of my favorite brands and the neatest things in their store. Their instagram is so great, and I loved seeing the store in person. The owner, Natalie, was there while we were and it was so funny to see her IRL. :) They were running a special since it was so cold, spend $40 get a free hot chocolate mix. We spent $38 and I went to go find something else, and Natalie just threw the mix in the bag and said we were good to go. They were SO nice! :)

Once Upon A Time Books - This is a HUGE warehouse of books, not as big as the one in Nashville, but it had so many book steals. This is technically in Rogers, AR, but is close just a 20 ish minute drive.

Dickson Street Bookshop - This Fayetteville institution is floor to ceiling, wall to wall, mazes of used books. It's pretty impressive really. I found some good deals here, and was impressed with the sheer size of the place, but it did make me a little claustrophobic and dizzy. ha

Nightbird Books - An indie bookstore with a small but well curated selection of new books. They also had a small enclosed bird habitat which was cool, and as much as I love bookstore cats it was a fun change.

Do: 

Visit the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art - this museum is absolutely stunning. The architecture is half of the reason to go and really put Bentonville on the map. The museum itself is fairly small but interesting and full of some cool American Art. Again, the showstopper here is really the museum itself. It's gorgeous. This museum is FREE! We didn't spend a lot of time on the grounds because it was rainy while we were there, but I have heard that they are lovely as well. The Frank Lloyd Wright house is not free, neither are the rotating exhibits. We wanted to try the restaurant but were not there at a compatible time.

Fayetteville Farmers Market & Shops in Town Square - self explanatory, but this little area is fun to walk around. :)

Gator Golf - There's nothing quite like goonie golf. This place had a lot of fun safari animals and a decent course. I got a hole-in-one... and I am not good at mini golf. FYI there is 100% a penis shaped hole. I mean... what are you going to do? (laugh, that's what) But we really did have a fun time mini golfing here. LOL

Shop for books at the above shops. :P 

There are also some cool outdoorsy things to do, but we did not because it was rainy!

Stay:

We stayed at this Airbnb and it was pretty great. The price is insanely low ($79 per night), and it was recently renovated and really nice. It is a duplex, and the wall in between is pretty thin, but then again.. so are walls in most hotels as well. Highly recommend if you are looking for a nice and inexpensive place to stay.

Favorites: Freckled Hen Farmhouse, The Billy Bass Adoption Center, Once Upon A Time Books, and pesto pasta at Tavola Trattoria.

New Experiences: Frank Lloyd Wright House / Seeing Architecture Exhibit, Birds in a Bookstore, a cool black and white mural/street art.

As much fun as we had on this trip, we were so ready to get on a boat... and have what will feel a little more like a travel type vacation in Cuba and Mexico. :) I'll be talking about it soon! :) 

Are your favorite trips the relaxing kind or the visiting all the attractions kind? - I like both, but feel unfulfilled if they are all relaxing and not very busy. ehhe

More travel posts coming soon: NYC, Cuba & Cozumel!

XO,

Alexandra

Friday, June 22, 2018

Have You Heard? // "OMG" - Camila Cabello feat. Quavo

HAPPY FRIDAY FRIENDS! It was my first full week back after vacation... and it felt LONG. We were also working on some plumbing stuff.. which is SO fun. *snark* LOL I'm happy it's weekend!

image via google

I really get into phases with musical artists. I'm loving Camila Cabello, and this song is so dang catchy. We listen to it all the time. I hope it makes your Friday go a little more quickly!



I think that Quavo's rap style is a bit like Future's in T-Swift's "Endgame". The lipo lyric is ridiculous though. But I do like the "bad and bougie" lyric. LOLOL #balance

What are y'all up to this weekend?!

We are hoping to work some more on the house, we are hoping to turn some plumbing to move a sink... and then do some painting of cabinets, counters, and some more walls. The painting never ends my dears. :P In addition to that stuff, I really hope to see my family this weekend. And to keep reading. I got this book from Netgalley and it's a lot of fun. Chick lit foreverrr.

Other Posts This Week: Keep It Together: Planning & Memory Keeping - June!

On YouTube This Week: 2018 Goals Traveler's Notebook // January

On Year of Gratitude This Week: Documenting: Paper Therapy - I wrote a thing!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND! 

XO,

Alexandra

PS - next week I am going to post outside of a linkup. JUMP BACK*. 

*I really dislike both Footloose and Kevin Bacon. But it seemed like the right thing to type right now. :P 

Thursday, June 21, 2018

Keep It Together: A Planning & Memory Keeping Blog Hop - June 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! :)

Goals Journal/Traveler's Notebook:




Despite buying a house, working on it a lot, and going on a cruise... I've had the itch to create! So I've spent some time retroactively documenting in my 2018 goals album. This is a TN size (like my October and November Daily albums!) I hadn't done much with it.... and all of a sudden I am wanting to work in it constantly! 

I've been adding my goal progress, and personal struggles and triumphs throughout the year. I love the way that it looks, and I love getting things off my chest and down on paper *finally*. :) 

Check out my January section here:



Coming Up (I hope):

This weekend I am "teaching" a How-To Make a Mini Scrapbook Album at my local library! I am so excited and a little bit nervous. Send good vibes my way.

I hope to get back to documenting our NYC trip, as well as documenting our Arkansas Trip, and our cruise! Not to mention just 2018 (less personal and goals based). So my normal PL for the year. We'll see how it goes. At least I have an idea of what I am wanting to do. :)

What have you guys been up to?

Do you journal to get things off your chest? 

Do you ever get the urge to create?!?


   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   


XO,

Alexandra

Monday, June 11, 2018

May 2018 Reads // Moving is Stressful, Avoid it All in Pages of Books!

We get back from our cruise tonight, and I'm hoping that that means I've read quite a few books in my downtime! :)

With buying a house, spring cleaning, packing, and starting our home renovations... downtime has been intense. As in, I shut myself in the bedroom (away from clutter) and read until it's time to sleep. Which means I read a lot of books in May...



Roomies by Christina Lauren

4.5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance.

Holland is obsessed with a subway busker. She doesn't know his name, or really anything about him, but he's her biggest crush. When she's mugged and pushed onto the tracks, he calls the police to help her, and then disappears. Who is this guy?! When her uncle's Broadway show is short a musician, she suggests her busker crush... and as much as he'd love to take the job... he's not in the US legally. Holland decides that it's worth the risk to marry her crush, so that he and her uncle can both be successful. However, faking being married, feels really comfortable. And having a crush on your fake husband makes it hard to keep things fake for long.

Squee! This was the cutest: 1) I love fake-to-real romances, 2) he's IRISH, 3) she's sooooo socially awkward. OMG. This had me just squirming at the cuteness. I really thought that this whole book and the characters were adorable. I loved Holland and Calvin. I loved Holland's uncles. I thought that the chemistry was really great, it was a little sweeter than their other book I read this month because it wasn't a hate-to-love relationship. I think that this book was another smart romance, it was hilarious, it was sexy, it was a lot of fun to read.

A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J. Maas

5 Stars - I highly recommend if you have read the ACoTaR series!

This book picks up where the final book in the trilogy left off, and creates a bridge to the three spin off novels that Maas will write next.

I'm not going to give spoilers about this one, but I absolutely loved this teeny tiny novella! Being back in my favorite fictional world, with the characters, etc. was a dream. This is set at Winter Solstice, so it had a lovely wintery/hygge/holiday sort of vibe to it. I loved seeing what happened with the characters after the trilogy, what was going on in the world, and seeing a sneak peek for the first spin off book has me super excited to read it!! Squee! I had a pretty good guess where this novella would go, and where at least one of the spin offs would go.. and I think I was pretty spot on, but also pleasantly surprised. Don't go into this expecting a ton of plot, it's been described as a novella and a bridge book for a reason! Just enjoy it!

Beauty and the Clockwork Beast by Nancy Campbell Allen

4.5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy fantasy, steampunk, and/or proper romance novels. This one is for fans of Edenbrooke (proper romance) and Changeless (steampunk/setting).

Lucy Pickett is a modern woman living in the Victorian Era. When her cousin falls ill at her new home, Blackwell Manor, Lucy makes it her duty to figure out what is wrong. The house is rumored to be cursed after the Lord of the manor's wife, and then sister died within a day of each other just six months ago. Lucy's cousin grows weaker by the day, and Lucy herself is being visited by an ominous spirit in the night. Lord Blackwell is incredibly disagreeable, but eventually must team up with Lucy to figure out what is happening to the women of Blackwell Manor. 

I had heard good things about this book from Kristen, and then from Heather -- and I take their recommendations to heart. I am so glad that this book was on Hoopla, so I could finally read it! I absolutely loved the bits of steampunk embedded into the story. I have read two other books with bits of steampunk in them, but this was much more substantial. That being said, once I had a handle on the world I didn't find that element to be distracting whatsoever. I really liked that Lucy was a smart main character, she was well bred but also very academic and career-driven. She wasn't overly heroic, or overly damsel-in-distress-y. It was a good balance for me. I adored her and Lord Blackwell's interactions. It's so Pride and Prejudice. Just the her presence sends him into an angry tizzy. It was too funny. I had to re-read the dancing scene because it was just too good. It took me a little bit of reading to understand how the 'tons worked, and what place vampires and shifters had in society, but it all really made sense midway through the book. I didn't realize this was a re-telling of Jane Eyre as well. I can kind of see it. I worried that that might give away things related to the spirit or the ending of the book, but it really didn't! I was pleasantly surprised with how things progressed! This is a proper romance that's done quite well. It makes the near-touch steamy, which isn't always easy to do. It reminded me a bit of Edenbrooke in that sense, but with obvious differences in the fantasy/steampunk element. If you like fantasy and/or proper romance you'll likely enjoy this book.

The Wild Woman's Guide to Traveling the World by Kristin Rockaway

3.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy travel fiction, contemporary fiction, and romance.

Sophie Bruno is a successful IT consultant in New York City. Her job allows her to travel the globe for work, and sneak away days here and there for fun. When she takes a trip with her girlfriend to Shanghai, and her friend leaves her there alone she decides to make the most of the trip anyway. She meets Carson, another American traveler the same night and they hit it off instantly. Soon she has thrown her carefully plotted itinerary out the window in favor of his spontaneous travel method... and he's moved into her hotel room. When she blows off a work meeting for an adventure, she returns to NYC missing Carson, and in hot water at work. What does she really want from her life? Is business travel with a few stolen days "enough"?

I love a good travel fiction novel. I thought that this one was really fun! I loved the setting, the mix of travel and romance was spot-on. I loved Carson and Sophie, they were so cute and polar opposites. I thought that the romance was really fun and steamy as well. While it was very "insta love" I didn't mind it a bit. I will say, I was hoping for more travel... the middle part of the book is spent "at home" in NYC and it is sort of a struggle for Sophie to figure out what she wants to do with her life. I know that she needed that character development, but there were times when I found her waffling a little bit infuriating. I'm sure IRL it would be hard to make the decisions she was contemplating, so I get it.... but I just wanted a little less. Or I wanted the end portion of the book to be a little longer if that makes sense?

Rumor Has It by Jessica Lemmon*

4.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance. Head's up: this is verrrry sexy. Pick up at own risk.

Journalist Catarina Everhart is the newspaper's relationships girl. In order to boost the paper's viability and relevancy, the editor comes up with a scheme to get more readers: have Catarina date the NFL's bad boy Barrett Fox. He's known for making a scene, being hard to deal with, and breaking the rules. Catarina is a straight-laced as they come, and is not thrilled by the idea of fake dating Barrett Fox. As their "relationship" begins, and their he says, she says articles appear in the paper the hype is huge, and their relationship reaches a grey point. Are they really dating? Or is Catarina being played by Fox?

This book was a LOT of fun. It definitely takes the love-to-hate trope to the max. Barrett Fox is absolutely horrid in the beginning of this book. He's just cringe worthy... he does all of the things I abhor... and yet, you definitely love to hate him. Then all of a sudden he's super charming. His bad boy contrast with Catarina's rule-following nature was absolutely top notch and makes for very good chemistry. I found this book to be super funny, very entertaining, and quick to read. (I read it in just a day.) I love the fake dating to real dating trope, so that didn't hurt... and as far as the tons of football player romances in existence go, this one was my favorite so far. I appreciated how smart Catarina's character was, she was witty, intelligent, a hard-worker, and I loved her nerdy LOTR and Hobbit references. There was a little bit of lady on lady hate... which I could have done without, but some of it was acknowledged as too quick a judgement. I'd just like to see it removed from all fiction in general! As a head's up this book is verrrrry sexy, pick up at own risk!

How To Walk Away by Katherine Center*

4 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy books where people overcome adversity.

This book follows Margaret as her life falls apart. A horrible plane crash leaves her disfigured and paralyzed. She loses everything but her life, and she must find her strength to recover as best as she can by spirit alone. She deals with family problems, a decline in her relationship with her boyfriend, and her complicated relationship with her physical therapist.

This book was much more emotional than her last book that I read. The subject matter makes it quite a bit more bittersweet, and serious to begin with. Overall I really enjoyed Margaret's journey, her relationship with her sister, and her antics with Ian. I think my favorite parts were the ones between Margaret and her sister. They are really opposite, and have a fantastic banter. I enjoyed that Margaret's journey was not entirely predictable and not completely positive. I liked that her relationship with Ian wasn't the full focus of the book, but it did feel a bit like an afterthought... I would have liked more dialogue if nothing else. I felt like I still didn't know much about him or his feelings after the book was over with. I liked that the book was told in the present starting at the beginning, but I felt like it could have been nice to have a bit more detail on her current life. Overall I enjoyed this one, but wanted a bit more resolution in the ending, or a bit more of a relationship developed between Margaret and Ian.

Wires & Nerve (vol. I) by Melissa Meyer and Douglas Holgate (illustrator)

5 Stars - I highly recommend if you have read the four main books in the Lunar Chronicles series.

This book picks up where the Lunar Chronicles series ends. Iko is the main character and she is hunting down the mutant wolves that are hiding on Earth. Other main characters make appearances too, but I won't spoil the series by giving specifics.

I finally got around to reading this graphic novel that follows the Lunar Chronicles series. I initially put it off (and this is dumb) because it's literally ALL BLUE. Monochromatic color schemes are fine, but not for graphic novels... but once I started reading this... it really didn't matter. As you might expect. LOL. It only took me a few hours to read, but it was so fulfilling. I wasn't sure exactly what the plot would be like, but I really really loved how Meyer picked up where The Lunar Chronicles left off. Iko was one of my favorite characters, so I loved that she was the center of this graphic novel. Also, the illustrations (color scheme aside, lol) were so so good. I loved them. There were so many times that I squeed just seeing the characters! It also (mild SPOILER) loved getting to see Cress and Thorne (I DIE AT THE CUTENESS) and Scarlet and Wolf (and the ring!!!). Seeing all of the old characters again was such a treat!! Anyhow, I loved it to pieces, and I cannot wait to read volume two! :)

We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

5 Stars - I recommend to ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE. It is only 50 pages long, take an hour and read it.

This book is from Adichie's talk on feminism. Her approach to the topic is extremely approachable and while it highlights the importance of having conversations on gender, it is a very reasonable discussion of the topic. If you're the type of person who is nervous about debates, etc. (many are!) don't worry about this book, she won't "scare you off".

I have been meaning to read this book for a really long time, I am glad that I finally picked it up in Arkansas, and then read it not too long after purchase. This book was such a good one. It discussed feminism in a way that is approachable to the masses, it doesn't diminish the importance of gender discussions but does approach the conversation in a very calm and open way. I appreciated that Adichie wove in anecdotes from her own life, her friend's lives, research, and stereotypes on gender roles. It made for a very well-rounded read. This is such an important little book, I hope that you pick it up and then recommend it to everyone that you know! As an aside, I absolutely love this cover. Beautiful.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

3.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy classic sci-fi and dystopian novels.

This story follows Guy Montag, a firefighter. In his world, firefighters burn books. Books ruin society, and his job is to eliminate them, and jail their owners. However, his own life isn't happy, but he doesn't know what he missed him.

Unpopular opinion: I just didn't love this book. I really wanted to, but classic sci-fi/dystopian novels are just not my thing. They don't explain the technology super well, it feels like the future but also like the past... and it's just I dunno... it's just not my thing. I  know that a lot of people love it, and that's awesome, but I just don't. I did, however, love the message behind the book and appreciate the importance of the novel... especially for it's time. I'm glad that I read it, it's very very short... and I can't wait to see what HBO did with the adaptation. Confession: I have a big crush on Michael B. Jordan.

Gone Rogue (Wires and Nerve #2) by Marissa Meyer and Stephen Gilpin (Illustrator)

4 Stars? - I recommend this if you have read The Lunar Chronicles and Wires and Nerve vol. I.

This story picks up where the last one left off. (no spoilers!)

I think with the first volume of Wires and Nerve I was just SO happy to be back in the world... so I gave it an instant 5 stars. I really enjoyed this volume as well... but I was less excited about it. But it could be just that the initial excitement while being back in the world. Not sure. *shrugs* Overall I still loved this book, I loved being back with the characters, I loved seeing them drawn again, and I loved seeing where Meyer took the (I think?) conclusion. I squeed a lot of times again seeing the little images, so much cuteness. This book is like a hug for people who love The Lunar Chronicles. Read these! :)

What Happens in Summer by Caridad Pineiro*

3 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, particularly "the one that got away" trope.

Connie and Jonathan fell in love one summer in Sea Kiss, NJ. When Jonathan decides to drop out of college, Connie can't stay in a relationship with him. Connie's father left her when she was a child, and she knows that she needs a partner who is stable and responsible. Years later the two reunite when their friends get married, but they've both changed, can they make it work? (edit?)

I started reading this when house-buying was my main focus... and so it was hard to focus on the prologue (?). I ended up dreading it, because I felt like I wasn't "into it" ... but it was really just my pre-occupation with becoming a homeowner. LOL. So I restarted it, and it ended up going really quickly. I liked that Connie and Jonathan were so opposite, and I really enjoyed their chemistry at the beginning of the book. I will say that they got together pretty quickly, and it was a lot more about how they could make it work than a will they/won't they kind of situation. There were quite a few parts that felt really repetitive as well. Also, (SPOILER) the fact that the synopsis made it sound like she had a kid... but she didn't really spoiled that she ends up getting pregnant... so... that was too bad. Also, Connie's preoccupation with Jon's inability to choose things drove me absolutely bonkers. Let him be. LOL. I did really appreciate Connie and her friend's friendship. It was nice to see a group of girls rooting for and supporting each other. I loved that their discussions were not completely about the men in their lives, as well. My absolute favorite part of this book is when Connie goes to visit her mom. Their relationship is so nice, and I loved that her Cuban culture was sprinkled throughout the book. Honestly, I wanted more of that! I thought that some of the resolutions were pretty quick, (SPOILER) like between Jonathan and his dad. I was (SPOILER) frustrated with her for telling others about the baby before Jonathan...and also for proposing to him before telling him about the baby! YIKES. I did enjoy the Buffy reference. Lastly, yeah I was drawn in by the cute cover. I just wanted a fun summer read! :)

Head Over Heels by Serena Bell*

4.5 Stars - I recommend if you enjoy contemporary romance, especially ones that follow the "friends to lovers" trope, or include a single parent.

Chase was aimless: bad at school, afraid of commitment of any kind until his ex died, and his daughter, Katie, was his full time. When he goes on a blind date with Liv, he instantly knows that they'll never work. He loves the outdoors, sports, and being low maintenance. Liv is all about style, decorating, and chick flicks. However, the two bond over years of failed dating ventures, over time they become very good friends. When Liv takes a job across the country she needs a temporary place to stay, and Chase needs a new nanny for Katie. They didn't expect their relationship to change, but close quarter living has them rethinking their friendship.

I'm not going to lie, I started this book and thought... "oh boy...they're fishing..." and was concerned that this book was going to be too "country" (or something?) for me. I was SO WRONG. This book exceeded my expectations in a huge way. I absolutely loved Chase and Liv's chemistry, they are so opposite and their desire to remain friends puts complications into their relationship without it being angsty. I also loved the single dad aspect, the scenes with Katie in them were super cute, funny, and added a really heartwarming element to the story. I loved the nature-y bits of the story as well. I also thought that this story had really good pacing. Though it is not a super slow burn romance novel, I didn't find myself being like... "so what's next...?" I also really loved that the characters aren't idiotic or overly annoying. Their reasons for their hang ups and miscommunications make a lot of sense to me. I didn't find myself rolling my eyes as I fairly often do with romance novels. I highly recommend! Head's up, this book is verrrrry steamy. You've been warned.

There you have it, tons and tons of books! If you want to see my spring & summer reading bucket list, check that out too! :)

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


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

**Double asterisks denote books won via a goodreads giveaway! 

***Triple asterisks denote titles that I was given advance access to by Penguin First to Read 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 Penguin First to Read!

Friday, June 8, 2018

Have You Heard? // Kacey Musgraves - "Butterflies"

Happy Friday Friends! Hellooo from Havana! Since I've already shared the song Havana... I'm sharing a weird one for me today. I usually don't enjoy country music... at all... but I going soft in my old age. Also, this song is fairly pop-y. But I heard it at B&N and I'm loooving it. :)

image via google
I dunno, I just think it's dreamy and sweet... and it seems like the perfect happy, calm, summer song. I dunno google tells me that her music is often about drugs. LOL. Whatever. That's not my jam at all... but you know... what are you going to do?



So... now I'm off to explore more of her music and/or country music an see what's going on with me. ha :P

What are y'all up to this weekend?!

We're unplugged, adventuring, cruising, and laughing. :) Excited to show you guys all of the cool places we've seen once we're back! :) 

Other Posts This Week: Roaring Swinging, Fabulous, Groovy Blog Collaboration // 1950s.

On Year of Gratitude This Week: I off this week! :) 

On YouTube This Week: June 2017 Project Life Flip Through

Have a great weekend!!

XO,


Alexandra

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Roaring, Swinging, Fabulous, Groovy Blog Collaboration // 1950's

It's one of my favorite days! Audrey & I's Roaring, Swinging, Fabulous, Groovy Blog Collaboration! :) I was a mood-reader (again) this month, so I didn't get to any new titles. Boo. But oh well!

Today, Audrey and I are talking about the 1950's. MAKE SURE TO HOP ON OVER TO AUDREY'S BLOG TO CHECK OUT HER RECOMMENDATIONS! :) 



Here we go:

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'm learning a lot from this challenge already: 

Books, Films, and Bonus will be things that I HAVE read or watched. "On Deck": will be things that I am hoping to get to soon!



The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - I read this last year, and really enjoyed it.
Fahrenheit 451 - just read this... takes place sort of in the 1950's. Didn't really like it. Read about that next week for SUYB.
101 Dalmations - one of my very favorite books! 





Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights - No shame, I like this more than the original. It's more interesting to me... sorry... I said it! LOL
Great Balls of Fire - A movie about Jerry Lee Lewis, who marries his 13 year old cousin. Controversy! I did enjoy the sets though, it felt so 1950s! The scene where Winona Ryder goes shopping for their house is my favorite!
Edward Scissorhands - one of my all-time favorites.
Julie and Julia - Meryl Streep forever. :) This movie is so delightful!
Grease - my little sister, Olivia's favorite.
Snow Falling on Cedars - I saw this a very very long time ago.



Call the Midwife (BBC) - This is my go-to Netflix show. It follows the midwives in London's East End. The show starts in the 1950s, and is still coming out on BBC. I think it is in the mid to late 1960's now. I have a little catching up to do.. but I think I've seen about 5 seasons. This show while very real and emotional... is very heartwarming for me. It's still good for my mental diet! Babies, nuns, people rising above it. A gem you guys, watch this. But be ready to sob.



I would also like to remind everyone of the fabulously silly episode of Gilmore Girls, "That Damn Donna Ried". Rory in all of her temporary housewife glory. Plus Apricot the kitten.









Walk the Line (movie)
Ray (movie)
My Week with Marilyn (movie)
Wonder Wheel (movie) - this looks sooo good!
Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepeyts (book) - great author, set in NOLA, must read.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (tv show)

What books, movies, or shows can you recommend that take place in the 1940's? Is there a goodreads equivalent for movies?!

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

The 1960s was a time of revolution and political unrest. From the rise of the Vietnam war to the death of President John F. Kennedy to the birth or hippies, the 60s were quite the time to be alive! Join us next month for our entertainment recommendations from the era!

Enjoying this series? Check out the other posts:
1900s & 1910s
1920s
1930s
1940s

We are headed out on our cruise today!! So I'll be MIA for a little while, excited to catch up with y'all when we get back! Enjoy your week, friends! :) 


XO,

Alexandra