Hello friends, happy Wednesday! I hope you had a lovely week so far and overall a great month! Today, as always, it’s time for the monthly-wrap-up of life happenings, bookish happenings and more.
I wish I had crazy things to share in this category every single month but I’m not a big sharer. This month was mostly uneventful, but I felt very thankful to have a couple of long weekends – thank you bank holidays – to have a bit of a break from work that is currently determined to EAT my brains every single day. I also did get away for a couple days at the end of the month and it was actually nice not to log onto WordPress every single night. As I am writing this, I just got back and have MOUNTAINS of things to do but…I missed it just as well.
I had quite a good reading month in May – less exceptional books discoveries except from the incredible The Color Project. I can’t wait for everyone to read this brilliant book.
Books I read
WEIRD but very imaginative.
Passion, but a lack of connection.
ME + IN LOVE.
Great concept and world-building.
MY FEELS.
I realized something this month: somehow, my brains KNOWS things before I actually do the research I need to do for my books. It feels like the stars actually align in these crazy writers moments.
In other news, I’m OVER 50 K, people, which means I basically wrote 7 K in one month so I guess it’s going pretty good?! I still hope to finish my draft by the end of the year – I wanted to aim the summertime, but let’s face it, I’m not going to be able to do this. Unless…Well, let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here and enjoy the ride.
I think my blogging month was mostly…well, okay, I would put it like that – I have my moments where I can’t help but struggle with my blog overall and the damned blogging envy of such and other stupid feelings us bloggers get, at times… Anyway, other than that, I took a couple days break by the end of the month and it feels nice to step back once in a while. Bloggers, REMEMBER THAT.
Book reviews
- 180 seconds, Jessica Park
- Mini reviews: Points of Departure, Emily O’Beirne & First & Then, Emma Mills
- The Fashion Commiittee, Susan Juby
- Hold Back The Stars, Katie Khan
- Adult-ish, Cristina Vanko
Discussions
- How to keep up with the blogging community
- Why YA contemporary is very much alive
- On popular blog posts
Bookish tags & recommendations
Nyx’s Corner
Other news & in the next months…
I actually wanted to share something here but….I’m completely having a blank. Apologies, friends, my brain is still half asleep I guess, but IT WILL WAKE UP AND BRING YOU FABULOUS IDEAS in the next month – I’m hoping.
How was your month? How many books did you read, and which one was your favorite? What’s one positive thing that happened to you this May?
Let’s chat in comments!
Looks like a great reading month Marie! I’ve had I’ll Meet You There on my TBR for a while now, and your summary just made me want to read it more because I LOVE FEELS! 😉
Glad to hear you had a great writing month as well, and also, it’s definitely okay to take a break every now and then. We’re all still here for you when you get back 😉
I actually had a much better reading month than the past few months and I got to read a few amazing contemporaries that kind of got me out of a reading slump, such as The Upside of Unrequited, Queens of Geek and NOTEWORTHY, which I just finished and was AMAZING <3
Thank you so, so much Lindsey! I hope you’ll be able to read I’ll Meet You There soon, it was such a FANTASTIC book, I loved it so much.
I’m so glad you had such a lovely reading month and that you loved Noteworthy! <3 I haven't read these other two books but they are on my TBR for sure! 😀
Yay for bank holidays! It’s always nice to have time off 😉
I’ve heard SO MUCH about I’ll Meet You There! What did you think of it?
Over 50k! That’s pretty awesome 😀 Good luck with your writing and I hope your first draft is ready by the end of the year!
It reeally is – I wish there were more bank holidays haha 🙂
I LOVED I’ll Meet You There so much, definitely a favorite of this month! The characters were very realistic and relatable, the relationships were developed and didn’t feel too rushed and I had LOTS OF FEELINGS ahah. Hope you’ll read it! 😀
Thank you so, so much! <3
Congrats on reaching 50K! That’s a huge accomplishment! I hope it continues to go well for you, but don’t rush yourself. You’ll get there. 🙂
OH thank you so much Christine for the words of encouragement! I’m trying to write at my rhythm but I admit that I am impatient to get to the end 😀
Looks like you had a productive month! All the best for June, hope you have a blast.
I did! Thank you so much, Poulami! <3 <3
How was your month? Excellent!
How many books did you read, and which one was your favorite? I finished 12 but my favorite is still in progress – The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. I’ve read her other work but just finally making my way to this (thanks to the Thrifty Books subscription box) and it is so fantastic that I’m having a hard time allowing myself to finish it.
What’s one positive thing that happened to you this May? My partner and I got our garden all planted. Harvested some strawberries already. Looking forward to the tomatoes coming up!
Ohh so glad you had such a great month, and you have read SO many books, this is awesome! 😀
I absolutely LOVE strawberries, they’re my favorite fruit for sure – it’s so great to see everything growing in your own garden, isn’t it? 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing your month with me! <3
May was great and full of surprises,read three books almost done with the one I’m reading, plus Miss peregrine has always been on my tbr
Have a great day☺
Ohh so glad you had a lovely month! I hope you enjoy Miss Peregrine 🙂
Have a lovely day just as well, and thank you! <3
Hello Mary – thanks for sharing your life with us ? My month was, like yours, pretty uneventful…but that can be a good thing. ? I had a very happy moment when my blog views reached, and passed, the 200 mark ?? Still a long way from the goal…you know the sky’s the limit ? …but it made me happy. I just finished a very boring book…so there’s not much to report on that front. ? Here’s to hoping that the next selection will be better ? Have an awesome June ? Hugs from Tina ?
Hi Tina! I’m so glad to hear you had a lovely, calm month, you’re right, these are good too! Congratulations on the blogging views, this is awesome and I’m glad to hear it made you happy! <3 <3
Hope your next reads will be better and that you'll have an awesome June as well! Thank you so much! <3 <3
Hi Mary – Thanks for the good wishes ? I started another book last night and am happy to report that I have a winner ?
The new month is off to a good start – book- and blog wise! Now to stay motivated ?
OHH yay, so happy to hear it! I hope motivation will remain for a while now 😀
? Thank youuuu! Hugs ?
I wanted to watch the film Miss Peregrines Peculiar Children and EVERYBODY said exactly that, “strange, weird, but very imaginative” haha! I need to be better with my reading, awesome post!
Hahaha, well I hope you’ll end up watching or reading it! I haven’t seen the movie yet but I’m curious after reading the book 🙂 Thank you so much for your comment! <3
You had a great reading month! I haven’t read The Girl from Everywhere but I’ve heard great things about it. I’ll definitely forward to your thoughts on it. Anyways, hope you have a great June!
Oh thank you so much, Raven! The Girl From Everywhere was a great book, I loved the whole idea of it! 🙂 Thank you again, I hope you’ll have a lovely month just as well 🙂
Great month Marie, especially in terms of the books you read. I cannot wait to see your review for Miss Peregrine’s and The Girl from Everywhere, I really loved both those books and I’m guessing from the small snippets you left next to each you at least enjoyed them right? Either way I’m looking forwards to seeing your more in-depth thoughts. 🙂
Also congratulations on having over 50k written Marie, I’m sure you’ll manage to make it to your end of year goal of finishing your draft! Either way 7k this month as well as blogging is an amazing feat too! 😀 <3
Thank you so, so much Beth! I did enjoy both of these even if I liked The Girl From Everywhere a little bit more 🙂
Thank you so much, I hope so – for now I’m just happy as long as I am motivated with my story 🙂
That’s all right! Ohh, I’m glad to hear that, The Girl From Everywhere was one of my favourite reads last year so I’m a little glad you enjoyed that one a little more.
Yeah that’s definitely a great thing to be able to say. 🙂
I’m eager to read the second book, did you find it as good or better than The Girl From Everywhere? 🙂
I enjoyed the first book more, but overall The Ship Beyond Time was still a good read. 🙂
Oh well I’m glad you liked it 🙂
Looks like you had a great month! I’ve been seeing The Girl From Everywhere literally everywhere lol. I think I may need to pick it up!
Hahaha! Well maybe you should – I thought it was such a fun book to read, I loved the concept and the characters were a lot of fun. Hope you’ll read and enjoy it! 🙂 Thank you so much <3 <3
I watched part of Miss Peregrine’s and got scared haha. But I also read like the first few chapters of it and was bored??? Idk. My May was okay (haha), but I did read a lot of AMAZING books! *heart eyes* And WHAAAT you reviewed 180 Seconds in May??? I thought you reviewed it in like April! Time flies by. XD
Haha really?! I haven’t watched the movie, I want to because I am curious but now;..I’m scared as well? Haha.
OH REALLY? Which book was your favorite this month (so I can run and add it to my TBR) ? 😀
Thank you SO much, May!! <3
AGH well my favorite was definitely ACOL, which I think you’ve read! I also enjoyed The Serpent King (which I got from your rec a long time ago!) and When the Moon Was Ours. *heart eyes*
YES I did, it was such a rollercoaster! 😀 I can’t WAIT to read When The Moon was Ours, it sounds so, so great. Eager to know your thoughts about it once you’re done! 🙂
I’m so glad I don’t have to work (yet) This month I read eight books, including rereading the first 3 lunar chronicles, and I also really enjoyed the #loveozya anthology. I was mainly busy with end of year stuff at school though…
Haha you are so lucky – I miss being at school, high school or college, some things were annoying for sure but…well, it was much simpler as well 😛
Ohh that’s so great, you had a lovely reading month! I really want to read that loveozya anthology, I keep hearing great things about it 🙂
Thank you so much, Shar <3
It looks like you had a great month! The Color Project is on my summer TBR and now I’m even more excited to read it since you seem to have really enjoyed that one. Oh, and congrats on reaching 50K! And good luck with the rest of the draft.
I can’t wait for you to read The Color Project! It was such an awesome book, I didn’t expect to love it that much 🙂
Thank you so, so much! I hope you’ll have a great month <3
It sure feels good to take some time off blogging, it makes coming back so great 🙂 We all need a breather once in a while, this hobby can be so overwhelming!!!
Wooohoooo for the writing!!!!!! (see why I’ll never be a writer? xD)
May sounds quiet and nice for you, I hope June brings you the best <3
Ugh yes, tell me about it. It is overwhelming but…well, there is a reason we love it, right? 😀
Thank you so, so much my sweechie, I hope you’ll have a great June <3 <3
A positive thing was I got to meet my friends family pets while they were in town. 5 cats and 4 dogs altogether. I also helped them fix her roof. I love the input of positive thoughts at the end of the month. We need to see more things like that 🙂
Ohhh that’s great! 🙂 Definitely – it’s good to try and think positive 😀 Thank you so much! <3
Your month sounds like it was a very good month! Mine was pretty good as weel, graduating from college is definitely my highlight. I actually read 4 books in May, but my favorite had to have been The Book Thief that I had finally picked up!
Ohh congratulations on graduating, this is so great!! <3
I haven't read The Book Thief yet, I'm so glad you enjoyed it ! 🙂
Woohoo over 50k?! That’s awesome!! Well done and good luck for the rest!
Aww thank you so, so much!! <3 <3
You’re welcome!! <3
Looks like you had a pretty good reading month, Marie! I’m still beyond happy over the fact that you read and loved I’ll Meet You There! I so knew you would enjoy that book. ? And same about the stepping back a bit. Though instead of just taking a few days off I accidentally took a week off and haven’t posted in a while. I might have hit a tiny blogging slump that I’m trying to get myself out of at the moment. But on the bright side I read a lot of great books so there’s that. Anyway! I hope June ends up being a fantastic month for you! ?
You know me well now, Melissa! If you have any other book recommendations I could enjoy, well…I’m all ears 😀
Oh no, I’m sorry you are feeling in a bit of a slump :/ I hope you’ll find motivation again and I’m glad you still read good books in the meantime 🙂 Thank you so much, have a great June just as welll! <3 <3
Well I did recommend a book on your sister’s post called Alex, Approximately. The main character is a huge movie buff and it’s cute and has a big time summer contemporary feel. And I just read this one book, No Holding Back by Kate Evangelista, that has a lot of traveling in it. ? *recommends all the books* ?
I’m slowly getting there. I finally drafted some post for the first time yesterday so I’m taking it as a good sign. You’re welcome!! ??
OH THANK YOU, I LOVE YOU MELISSA!! <3 I know I can trust your recommendations in books for sure, I'll add these two to my TBR and hope to be able to buy them soon, then! 😀
Oh I'm glad to hear it!! <3
No problem! I live to recommend all of the books. ?? I hope you end up enjoying both of them. You’ll have to let me know what you think whenever you do get to reading them!! ?
Of course I will 😀
Congrats on making it over 50k!! THATS AMAZING. I keep getting stuck at around 30k lol Also, I’m reading The Color Project right now! I’m glad you liked it. I’m about halfway through at the moment. Hope June treats you well <3
Molly @ Molly’s Book Nook
OH thank you, Molly! I’m hoping not to be stuck at this stage ahah. I hope you’ll manage to write more and more <3
I'm so glad you're reading The Color Project! Are you enjoying it? I LOVED IT so much.
I hope you'll have a lovely month as well! <3
I’m glad you had a productive writing month, Marie! Even if you don’t finish your draft by the end of the summer, you should still be proud by how much you’ve achieved in the past few months. It’s nice to follow your growth and improvement throughout the year!
I didn’t read much this month, which was definitely a bit mehh. I think I got ahead of myself, taking more responsabilities than I could handle. I ended up compromising myself to a lot of things, and at the end of the month, I was in a rush to finish it all on time. June is also going to be eventful, but I’ll try my best to stay away from more responsabilities, hahah.
I hope you have a fantastic June! 🙂
Oh thank you so much, Lais! I’m glad I managed to write anything at all this year and I’m hoping this will continue 🙂
Oh I get it, it’s annoying but well, there are days where we just can’t escape all the responsabilities, unfortunately. I hope you’ll have a fantastic June and more time to read great books as well! 🙂 <3
It sounds like you had an amazing month! I adored I’ll Meet You There and The Girl from Everywhere so I’m so glad to see you read them and liked them too. 🙂 Thanks for sharing and, as always, fabulous post! <3
Oh thank you so much, I’m so glad you enjoyed these two books too!
Have a great month, Zoe! <3
I’m glad you managed to have a bit of break from work, Marie ? Great reading month too!! I really need to read The Girl From Everywhere.
Thank you, Lauren! I hope you’ll read The Girl From Everywhere sometime soon, it was a great book! 🙂
I love your short and to-the-point commentary for each book!
Kudos to you for the 50k mark – it is an accomplishment! Keep up the great work 🙂
Cheers,
Sophie
Aw thank you so much! <3
I read 6 books this month and for the most part liked most of them. However, I was super crappy about posting so your blogging list seems super impressive. As for slaying those words, you go girl!
Ohh thank you so much! <3 I hope that June will be a better blogging month for you but don't put too much pressure on yourself either – write about what you love and you'll feel happy and motivated for sure 🙂
Thank you so, so much for your sweet words, Laura! <3
I am dying to read The Color Project! I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Looks like you had a pretty good month. I struggle with staying active on my blog as well. Life just gets in the way sometimes. Breaks are nice though and sometimes much needed to get back into the swing of things.
Ohhh I can’t wait for you to read The Color Project – it was such a fantastic book, one of my favorites for sure. I hope you’ll love it! 🙂
Definitely. Breaks are needed at times to come back full force again 🙂
Ahhh The Color Project sounds absolutely amazing and THAT COVER ?? And yayyy for writing! 7k in a month is really good. ? I know June has already started, but I hope it treats you well and you read great books as well! ❤️
YES The Color Project was FANTASTIC I just want to fangirl about it for all times ahah. I can’t wait for you to read it! 🙂
Thank you so, so much, Analee! I hope youre having a lovely month so far! <3 <3