Happy July, friends ☀️ Let’s see what I got up to this past month, shall we!
June turned out to be a little bit… well, different, I guess, in ways I didn’t expect it to be.
Most of the month has been colder again and not feeling like summer, at all (which it’s supposed to be, around this time of the year, in my hemisphere… apparently someone didn’t get the memo??). Obviously, as always, this turned my mood sour for most of the month again, too, but well. Good things happened, too!!
I’m really happy I got a day off to travel to see and spend some time with my sister this month. We spent the weekend eating delicious food, sweating while thinking it’s a good idea to climb 300 stairs… because well, do it for the view I guess?? and crying while watching, finally, the Friends reunion. It was good.
Otherwise… it was a month filled with the stress of the world and of life, with some good things happening, too. Getting fully vaccinated. Preparing for summer holidays. Taking a chance and unexpectedly turning my professional life upside down again.
I’m looking forward to July, to the SUMMER here (please, weather, be with me), to seeing my family and friends again this month for a couple days, and looking forward to August and longer days off work, too.
I hope you’re all taking care of yourselves, friends.
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It’s been an okay reading month overall with my 4 books a month usual new rhythm, I guess!
THE FLATSHARE ☂️ I heard amazing things about this adult romance and I wasn’t disappointed. I was really entertained and… well, it just made me want to read more of the genre!
💧 Buy the book on: Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
SISTERS OF THE SNAKE ☂️ While it took me a little while to get into this story, I ended up really liking it. The world was so great and I also really liked the relationships!
Read my review 💧 Buy the book on: Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
WHEN YOU WERE EVERYTHING ☂️ My best book of the month is here. A stunning, emotional look into a friendship break-up. I loved this book so much. Read it.
💧 Buy the book on: Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
XOXO ☂️ This book was wonderful, really. It made me smile, it warmed my heart, I loved the whole falling-for-a-celebrity plot line and the story was filled with wonderful friendships, too. Definitely recommending it!
💧 Buy the book on: Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Goodreads challenge: 26/60 books
Always behind schedule on my challenge, but.. I’m enjoying my reads so that’s good?
For once, I’m going to write it down: I’m proud of myself. I’m proud to say that I finished another first draft of a book this June and YAY!
Is it a mess? Yes, definitely. Will I probably cry with the work it needs to be made into something actually readable? Uh, yeah.
Still. I wrote another book, so, moment to be proud of that!
At the end of the month, I re-read a completely different story I wrote. It’s very personal, it’s a YA contemporary, it’s about sisters and traveling and productivity and mental health. I’m half scared, half excited to really shape this into a second draft. After my re-read, I’ve been brainstorming my revision and hope I’ll be ready to tackle it soon-ish. I’ll see. No pressure.
Here’s a little aesthetic for this story! (If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, maybe you’ll remember it!)
Written in June: At the end of May, my WIP was at 53 192 words. At the end of June and with the end of the book, I reached 56 895 words. I also did a lot of reading and notes writing to prepare for my editing!
If you remember correctly, I’ve been struggling a little bit with my blogging lately. Not necessarily in terms of producing content, which I always seem to do pretty much on my usual, regular basis, but on the way I feel about blogging.
I think social media is making me hate my blogging, sometimes, too.
I also feel like I’ve been, for a few months now, a little too focused on what I should be producing, instead of what actually makes me happy to do.
My hope for this next month is to relax a little more and find that happiness back. Even if maybe, it means missing some posting days, or just not writing the things that will make me gain traffic and tons of retweets on social media. Even if that doesn’t happen anyway.
Changing focus a little bit. Remembering to write blog posts that make me happy and excited, because that’s why I’m here and why I started.
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On the blog this month: book reviews
On the blog this month: blogging, books & more
I don’t know if anyone noticed that I skipped a Wednesday post this month… probably just me. I took a long, long time drafting my content about having a blog that stands out, so I had to skip this one. I really, really hope you enjoyed this one!
We also talked about traveling a little bit, with my sister’s excellent recommendations on ya books with road trips. On my side, I shared some books I’m anticipating for the end of 2021, with soooooo many reads I can’t wait to get to. So many books, so little time, right?!!
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- Thank you so much for reading my posts always! 🥺
I’ve been trying my best to blog hop a little bit again this month, even if sometimes, it’s tough to find the time or energy to do so. I still am doing all of my best to support all of your fantastic work. Book bloggers really are amazing!!! 🥺 Here’s my small selection of blog posts I read and enjoyed this month!
Reading, Books, Recommendations
- Fanna @ Fanna For Books shared 11 Queer South Asian Books to read for Pride Month, and ALL year long.
- Fadwa @ Word Wonders shared Books Written by Pacific Islanders.
- Althea @ Althea is reading shared some great books with pansexual leads.
- Shannon @ It Starts At Midnight shared some most anticipated reads for the end of 2021. Caro @ Bookcheshire Cat also shared her most anticipated reads!
- Veronika @ Wordy and Whimsical shared some incredible recommendations of underrated reads.
- Kat @ Life & Other Disasters launched a brand new feature on her blog and it’s FANTASTIC. She first wonders if she and Tom Hiddleston are compatible readers.
Blogging
- Kat @ Life & Other Disasters celebrated 8 years of blogging. I’m SO PROUD of her. Forever my favorite. Congratulate her!!
- Nicole @ Thoughts Stained With Ink talked about being a book blogger impossible to box.
- Malka @ Paper Procrastinators talks about needing a blogging schedule.
Writing, Miscellanous
- Nicole @ Thoughts Stained With Ink wrote a fantastic post about how writing practice is more than just sitting in a chair. I loved this.
- Kal @ Reader Voracious has an amazing guide to earn extra cash and budget.
How was your month? Did you find a new favorite book this past month? I’d love to hear all about it, so feel free to tell me in comments!
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Yes I am the same. It is far better to write things that I want to rather than what people expect me to.
Agree! 🙂
Ah, so glad to see you had a pretty good month! The books you read are all so good, I’m happy to see you enjoyed reading Sisters of the Snake. I’m so excited to read XOXO! 😍 Those aesthetics for your WIP are so beautiful, and it’s so amazing to see you make such progress on the word count. You’ve crossed 50K and that’s very much an achievement, yes. 💛 I’m slowly getting back to consistently blogging and sharing the love around so I’m looking forward to reading all your recent posts and the ones you’ve lined for this month. Also, thank you so much for linking a reading list from my blog; I really appreciate the support! 💖
Thank you so much Fanna and of course, I love your reading lists so much! 🥺 I hope that you’re having a lovely July so far and finding the motivation and inspiration to consistently blog again, as well <3
I loved The Flatshare so much! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Tiffany Reads Books
It was such a lovely read! Thank you, Tiffany! 🙂
My June in reading was better than usual. I like the idea of your draft. It sounds interesting and it’s great you could feel satisfaction in terms of writing. Great wrap up! I hope July turns out amazing.
Thank you so much! I’m happy you had a good June and hope that July will be wonderful to you! <3
Congrats on finishing a draft, and enjoy your time with your family. Happy July!
Thank you so, so much! Have a lovely month as well! 🙂
Congratulations on finishing another book! Wishing you a happy July.
Thank you so much!! Have a lovely month and take care!
I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU LINKED TO *TWO* OF MY POSTS!? Thank you so, so much!!! I love you for all the support you’ve given me through the years and wouldn’t want to miss you from my blogging experience. We are dinosaurs together <3
It's funny that you say that June was colder again, cause all I remember is the massive heat wave and how glad I was that my office has air conditioning haha I was running out of things to wear, cause I was sweating through everything.
OF COURSE! I love everything you do and am always happy to show your blog all the love it deserves! <3 <3
You were lucky, I could take a little heat right now, it's damn cold I can't wear a tee-shirt, I NEED SUMMER 😂😂
It sounds like you had a pretty good month! Traveling with your sister sounds fun, I can’t wait to travel again! Congrats on your writing, that’s really exciting and definitely something to be proud of! ❤️😊
I bought Sisters of the Snake last weekend and I can’t wait to read it! I’m glad to see you enjoyed it! Happy July! 💕
Thank you so much! I can’t wait to be able to properly travel again as well, ugh, I miss it so badly. 🥺 I hope you’ll have a lovely month!! <3
Hopefully soon! 💕 Thank you, you as well! 😊
glad to hear your writing goals are being achieved!! 💕
Thank you so much!! <3
i feel you so much on struggling with blogging :’) i think i’m feeling the opposite (i’m struggling with producing content and my growing distaste for social media is making me like blogging more lol) but i feel like a lot of people seem to be struggling a bit with blogging lately too? but ahh so glad you liked xoxo, i’m really looking forward to it more and more! and SO MANY CONGRATS on finishing a draft of your book, that’s amazing 💓💓
I get that, my growing distaste for social media is making me want to blog, too 😂 but I often feel inadequate afterwards when I see just how much popularity on social media plays a role, too.
I hope you’ll love XOXO, it was such an adorable book! Thank you so much!🥺
I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!! You finished that draft ahh!! And I’ve said this a lot lately but I’m definitely prioritising When you were everything now lol!
🥺🥺 thank you so much Birdie!! 🥺🥺
I’m usually not a summer person but it has been SO strange not having any sunshine 😔 It keeps raining (and thunderstorming) here & we only had a couple warm days in June! So happy to see that you loved When You Were Everything & XOXO! 🥰 Congrats on finishing your draft, that’s amazing!! 🎉 Also thank you so much for sharing my post!! ❤
I hope you’re having a good, sunny July! ☀
Same here! It feels like autumn and I really, really need summer, I hate this weather so much! I hope it will get better for both of us soon! <3
Thank you so much, Caro, I hope July has been kind to you! <3
yay, it’s so exciting you are already fully vaccinated! i got my first dose a couple weeks ago and i feel so relieved already. i was very lucky to get it because of my job and i really am counting down the days for that second dose hehe
i hope everything is going well in your professional life & that the weather warms up already! it’s currently winter here and the temperatures have been SO LOW. i like the cold but working in these conditions is not funny at all hahah
AND ALSO ANOTHER BIG YAY FOR FINISHING ANOTHER FIRST DRAFT!!!! i’ve been terrible at writing this year, honestly. i have not finished my first draft and i’ve had other ideas for other stories, but haven’t really written anything meaningful in any of them. ): i just find so hard to find the motivation to write now that i’m working. while my shift is only 6h long mon-fri, i still get home too exhausted to write anything and end up doing uni work at the weekends. i hope i can at least *start* something during my two week break.
hope you have an amazing july, marie. wishing you luck on all your goals!
Thank you so much, Lais, you’re too kind! <3 I'm sending you some sunshine and warmth and hope winter's going okay on your side of the world!
I get that so much. I find it really tough to have time and motivation to write just as well, with work and life and everything. I'm trying my best, but some days are better than others, ahah.
Sending you all the love! I hope July has been kind to you so far <3
Well done on writing a book, that’s amazing and definitely something to be proud of! Great wrap up too, I’m so glad you enjoyed The Flatshare, it’s one of my favourites 🙂
Thank you so, so much Anika! 🥺 I hope you’re having a lovely month!
hey, we actually read a book at the same time! I read flatshare too! I knew some people loved it while other people weren’t the biggest fan of it, but I actually thought it was super cute. Glad to hear that you enjoyed it too 🙂 xx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Ahhh yay! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, I thought it was such a good read as well! <3
Aaaah well done on writing and finishing another draft! It’s so satisfying to finish a draft even though you know it’ll need a lot of work still. It finally feels like you’ve made more tangible progress, if that makes sense 😊 sending you so much love and here’s to a warmer July 💜
Thank you so much! 🥺 Yes, at least it’s progress, even if it’s not much. I hope you’re having a lovely month! <3
I hope you’re able to find the blogging love again, and honestly? If social media isn’t fun for you, I think there’s nothing wrong with leaving it behind. You could always just set up your posts to share automatically and never log into the accounts again. From my in and out relationship with Twitter, you really need to be around all the time to not be punished by the algorithm — and that’s not healthy. I’ve been happier stepping back and it may be nice for you, too.
Thanks so much for linking to my post and I hope you have a great July!
It’s not healthy at all, you’re so right. Still, I get that feeling… I know, actually, that with stepping back completely I might miss out on knowing about some exciting book deals and I’m also terrified of the FOMO and the disconnection from the community. Because everything goes through social media now, I guess. Well, this beginning of a rant is best for a blog post 😂😂
I hope that July has been kind to you so far, sending you all the love!
Hello, my love! I am finally getting caught up on blog hopping (sorta) and I hope you’re doing well and July has been kind to you! I hope the stuff with your job is okay and that you have read some good books and made time for yourself and your writing. CONGRATS on finishing another draft! It is always such a monumental achievement and I hope you are so, so, so proud of yourself. I am very proud of you! <3 Thank you so much for sharing two (!!) of my posts, you kind human, you.
I adore you and I hope you're doing well!
Thank you so much, Nicole, I hope that you are doing well! Thank you so much for all of your kindness, this means the world. I hope that July is treating you kindly <3
In June the weather in the US was acting similarly, but then it made up for it in July and August by being SWELTERING! There have been so many hot, humid days that I nearly forgot how non-summery June was.
And I’m so glad you enjoyed the books you read in June. I’ve read The Flatshare and I think that if you enjoyed it you should check out Twice Shy! I just finished reading it, and I feel like the two books share similar vibes, even though the premises are very different!
I’m so impressed with the writing progress you’ve made! I cannot even imagine how difficult it is to write a book, and I’m sure the reality takes even more effort than I think! I’m so proud of you for completing another book, and just hope that I’ll get to read your published work at some point in the future!
Thank you so much for including my post! I know I’m responding a bit late (only 2 months or so) but I nonetheless appreciate it so much! 💕
Oh thank you so much for the recommendation, Malka! I have to check out Twice Shy next, then! And thank you for your sweet words. My writing has been terrible since then ahah, but thank you <3 I hope you're doing well!