Happy September, friends 🌼 August slipped away into a moment in time, right. Let’s recap!
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August was a mixed bag of stress, anxiety, hope and moments I’ll remember for my entire life.
Early August, I packed my suitcase, spent an endless day in anxiety-town and woke up on the other side of the Atlantic with my sister.
We visited Montréal and Québec for around 10 days, screaming every time we spotted a squirrel, taking a billion pictures and overall just have the time of our lives. I feel so lucky to have been able to go again on a big, international trip like that and just loved it there. It was such a nice escape from real life for a little while.
The rest of the month has been a mixed bag again of stressful times and lovely moments. Life, I guess. Just hoping for the best for September!
Monthly Reading Wrap-Up
It turns out that August wasn’t such a bad reading month. While I read a bit less than the past two months, I still managed to read a lot and… I didn’t find one, two, but THREE BOOKS I really loved.
GIRLS WITH REBEL SOULS ☂️ I loved Girls with Sharp Sticks, the first book in this series and its follow-up, but this third and last installment left me a bit underwhelmed and disappointed. I’m sad. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
CARRIE SOTO IS BACK ☂️ Taylor Jenkins Reid does not disappoint. Like, ever. I adored this book, I adored fierce, badass, incredible Carrie Soto, I’m going to be screaming about this forever okay. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read my review 💧 Buy on Amazon
CREEP: A LOVE STORY ☂️ This was such a strange, uncomfortable read at times… sometimes, I don’t know whether I enjoyed it, or not. I liked how unique the story was and was definitely compelled to read on, so that’s a nice plus! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read my review 💧 Buy on Amazon
THE RUMOR GAME ☂️ I loved this one SO much. I knew I would, according to the synopsis, but… this was goooood. It’s a bunch of unlikeable characters, at times, it deals with the messiness of social media and overall is just excellent, I was hooked. 200% recommending this. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
EXACTLY WHERE YOU NEED TO BE ☂️ This is a new favorite book, it was just excellent. One of these soft YA contemporary reads dealing beautifully with mental health (OCD), I’ll keep close to my heart for a long, long time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Discoveries of The Month
Out of topic, but I’m such a fan of these book covers okay.
THIS TIME IT’S REAL ☂️ This sounds like the absolute cutest fake-dating story ever, where Eliza begins a fake relationship with a famous actor to hide the truth about her… This sounds SO good and that cover’s adorable okay.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
YOU AND ME ON VACATION ☂️ I feel like this needs no introduction, it’s such a popular book and for some reason, I only recently stopped to read its synopsis. Yearly summer vacations with the same friend, alternating between past and present, ugh this sounds like MY THING OKAY.
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
UNNECESSARY DRAMA ☂️ Nina Kenwood’s It Sounded Better in my Head is like, one of my favorite reads ever. This new book sounds so good. It’s about 18-years-old, very responsible Brooke, starting her first year at university, determined to make this year drama free… until she learns that her high school nemesis, Jesse, will share her house. Sounds SO good!!
💧 Find the book on Goodreads
Goodreads challenge: 37/50 books
Still ahead of the goodreads challenge. It’s been good to feel like I’m making progress!
Another month and still the same old story: I’m making progress, slowly but surely.
For the small reminder, or for those of you that are new, here (hi!! thank you for being here!): I’m currently working on draft 3 of my contemporary WIP I’m currently calling “travel sisters”.
I’m about 8 chapters into this revision as I’m writing this, and have about 24 more chapters to go. It’s a loooooong process that makes me question a lot of things about this story (and question my sanity as well, at times, but isn’t that what writing is like?). It’s also a story I love deeply, so… going forward with it!
Would you like to hear more about my writing? My process, etc? It’s been a while since I wrote these kind of blog posts, but if you’re interested, feel free to let me know!
I’ve also been questioning myself and whether or not I should share about writing more on social media, whether it’s on my own account or a new, dedicated one. Any thoughts are welcome!
I actually took a bit of a break early August (can you believe it?!), since I was traveling a bit. It’s been lovely to step away for a little bit and made me realize again that I might be working a little too much on this little blog of mine.
It’s a passion project, that’s for sure, but I also feel like sometimes, I need to take it easier on myself with it, too.
I’ve been writing some blog posts I loved once I got back, especially one that you all seemed to enjoy as well about aesthetics paired up with books, so… that was such a lovely surprise (thank you!!). It’s been wonderful, but it also takes me days of work, which just shows how damn stubborn I can be about this, aerm.
Not here to complain, just here to state the facts. Still hoping to write blog posts that make me excited, and hoping that you’ll be there for them, too. Thank you!!
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On the blog this month: book reviews
On the blog this month: blogging, books & more
I finished this blog post jet-lagged the day after I was back from my holiday – this is just how stubborn I was about this… but honestly, I really loved this idea and putting it together. Definitely one of my favorite posts I’ve ever done!
To end the summer (kind of sobbing writing this), I wanted to put together this little recommendations post of summer romances. This kind of book always makes me feel all and happy okay.
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On instagram
I’m not a very active bookstagrammer just yet, but I kind of tried a little more this past month and… it’s been fun. Does this mean I’m going to grow my bookstagram even more in the upcoming months? I’m not sure. I’m trying to… do something with this account and seeing where that takes me!
You can follow my instagram account here!
Once again, I didn’t take much time to blog hop during the month, but I still saved a couple blog posts I really enjoyed reading. Hoping to blog hop more this upcoming month. Feel free to share yours in comments!
- Rania @ Moonlit Notes shares some lovely anticipated diverse reads for 2023.
- Suhani @ Random Reader’s Rambles shares some excellent book recs ft. Asian characters or written by Asian authors
- I adored A Book Owl’s Corner blog post about book blogging being detrimental to your mental health.
How was your month? What was your favorite read this August? Are you happy -or sad- that summer’s coming to an end?
I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
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Aah you went to Canada, that’s amazing 🙂 I’d love to visit it as well. You’ve read some great books!! The Rumour Game sounds great, also the cover of This Time It’s Real is adorable.
Thank you so, so much! I hope you’ll love The Rumor Game, I found it SO good 🙂
It look and sounds like you had a pretty good August! 😊 You were so close… yet so far! I spent quite a few days in Toronto last month and there you were a province away! I’m glad you were able to go and you had a great time! I haven’t been in years. One day I’d like to go back. I hope you have a lovely September! ❤️
Ooooh yay! I’m so happy you went to Toronto, I hope you had a fantastic time there!! And hope September’s off to a good start <3
It was a good time the few times I went! 😊
So far, September hasn’t been too bad; I hope it continues to be better! I hope you’re month has been off to a good start ❤️
I’m so happy to hear that! <3 <3
❤️❤️
Oh, wow, those pictures of Canada look gorgeous! I’m so glad you had a great time and am most definitely a tad envious 🤩 My aunt’s family has actually lived in Québec my entire life, so it’s truly embarrassing that I’ve never been to visit..
And I’m glad you had such a good reading month, too! Exactly Where You Need to Be sounds really intriguing. And thank you so much for sharing my post; I’m really happy you enjoyed it! 🥰
Thank you so much!! Oooh, well… you have an excuse to go there as soon as you can!! 🥰
I hope you’ll give Exactly Where You Need to Be a try, it’s SO good, I love it so much. Have a lovely month!! <3
I’m not jealous at all that you got to go to Canada and I didn’t …. nope 😂 just kidding, I hope you know that I’ll always wish you all the happiness in the world, because you deserve it.
I get the mixed bag feeling for August, was kind of similar for me as well. I hope September will be kind to us. I’m looking forward to getting to wear layers again.
Also, CARRIE SOTO! MY LOVE!!!
I love you Kat, you’re too kind always. 🥺😭 I really hope that September will be good to you… but nope for the layers for me ahah, I’m already so sad about summer being over ahah. 😭
I’m sorry that August was stressful for you, but very happy that you could enjoy Canada! I would love to travel there one day as well ❤️ I’m SO excited to read Carrie Soto and Exactly Where You Need to Be 🥰 It’s also so exciting that Nina Kenwood has a new book coming out, I immediately added it to my TBR! I wish you a good September 😊
Thank you so, so much, Caroo! <3 I LOVED Nina Kenwood's It Sounded Better in my Head, SO excited for this new one! :)
I hope September has been kind to you so far <3
I absolutely LOVED seeing your highlights of Canada on Instagram! I am so glad you and your sister got to go. And go you for continuing to write. Progress is progress, no matter how slow. I would LOVE more blog posts or social media posts (or both) related to your writing!! Whatever you’re comfortable with, I’m there. <3
Nicole thank you SO much!! Your support means the world to me <3