naoadays~ (´┏＿┓｀)

Q: What was your favorite read of February?. *waves from under the abyss* Hello, I am in-fact still alive and did remember that I once did monthly wrap up posts! I haven’t one of these since -checks- October 2022….its been a hot minute. I’ve missed doing these though and am going to try and go backdate the previous months, but for now, let’s see how my February went! ✈️ I traveled to Atlanta, GA for 6 days for work, which was actually incredibly stressful and not at all fun sadly! I attended the book launch for Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith at Books of Wonder in NYC, and I attended an early screening of Daisy Jones & The Six which included a talk with the cast/creators afterwards! 🎭 I attended 3 concerts and saw 3 Broadway shows. And last but not least – I read 4 books this month. Life isn’t slowing down anytime soon but I’m trying to fit reading in when and where I can! My favorite February reads: 💎 Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith - If you tell me a story is inspired by Moulin Rouge, I’m immediately interested. Add a magic system and make it a historical fiction with fantasy – I’m sold! I’ve been eagerly anticipating Revelle and it did not disappoint! It sparkled like the jewels used in this story. 🎶 Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (reread): Not to be dramatic, but this is one of my favorite books of all time and it’s truly perfect. I love music. I love books. I love books about music. This story is incredible and I’m so glad I decided to reread it! Why is it that Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best books will always make me cry at the end? SO MUCH EMOTION IN THIS STORY!! #FebruaryWrapUp #WrapUp #MonthlyWrapup #MonthlyReads #FebruaryReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookish #Bibliophile #Bookworm #BoostingYA #BookishLife #BooksOfIG #Bookstagrammer #boostingya #TenThousandDoorsofJanuary #Revelle #RevelleBook #DaisyJonesandtheSix #TheLuminaries https://www.instagram.com/p/CplCaecAKQE/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What was the last signed book you ordered or had signed in person?. 💎 On Friday, February 17, I went to Books of Wonder for the Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith launch event! She was in conversation with Lauren Blackwood, Rochelle Hassan, and Meg Long. This event was so good, I loved the conversation and learning more about Revelle. ✨ Since the book is set in the 1920s, of course I had to dress the part for this event too! Any excuse to wear my flapper dress, and I received a lot of compliments on it. It was a fun event and I'm really glad I was able to go. 💃 If you haven't noticed yet, I'm a big fan of Moulin Rouge - Revelle is Moulin Rouge inspired but with MAGIC, lots of magic! And lots of family love for Luxe Revelle - I loved the relationship Luxe has throughout the story with her cousins - it was so heartwarming. There are a few different magical families on Charmant, the island just a ferry ride from New York - and some of the powers include being able to charm and make the customers desires (seemingly) come true, time-travel, healing, mind-reading, and making food or drink the best you've ever had. But of course, all this magic comes with a cost to the user. Highly recommend this book if you're looking for a historical fiction fantasy with some forbidden romance and rival magical families! #Revelle #RevelleTheBook #LyssaMiaSmith #MoulinRouge #MoulinRougeBroadway #epicreads #balzerandbray #fantasybooks #yafantasy #debutauthors #debutbooks #debutfantasy #newbooktuesday #yahistoricalfiction #yaromance #yafantasyromance #yahistoricalromance #boostingya #currentlyreading #bookevent #booksofwonder #booksofwondernyc (at Books of Wonder) https://www.instagram.com/p/Co0RPI5vUR4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What's your favorite era of historical fiction?. 💎 Happy Book Birthday to Revelle by @lsmittywrites!. Charmant is only a ferry ride away. Give a Revelle a jewel for a chance to feel ecstasy. Revelle had me at "Moulin Rouge inspired" - say less! So of course I had to bring this book with me the last time I visited the Moulin Rouge on Broadway - and of course dress the part! I absolutely love historical fiction, especially set in the 1920s Prohibition era, throw in some magic and mystery and fantasy and I'm SOLD. If you're a fan of historical fiction, dual POV, YA fantasy, forbidden love, family bonds and of course - Moulin Rouge - this is the story for you! So happy Revelle is out in the world today in all formats including my favorite, audiobook~. Fun fact, I've seen Moulin Rouge on stage 15 times since October 2019, including New York, London, and Chicago on the tour - but I just watched the movie for the first time this past December!. Another fun fact, I first met Lyssa in an elevator at YallFest in 2021 before her book officially had a title and kept running into her during Yallfest!. P.S. Hello. Yes, I am alive, I know I haven't posted in ages but let's see if I can get back to it. I'm still reading as much as I can, but -gestures around- life has gotten in the way of blogging & bookstagram-ing. But I miss this! So I'm hoping to find time to come back!. #Revelle #LyssaMiaSmith #MoulinRouge #morerouge #MoulinRougeBroadway #epicreads #balzerandbray #fantasybooks #yafantasy #debutauthors #debutbooks #debutfantasy #newbooktuesday #yahistoricalfiction #yaromance #yafantasyromance #yahistoricalromance #moulinrougemusical (at Moulin Rouge The Musical - Broadway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CopabIeLL6W/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: Favorite romance book you've recently read?. I loved Part of Your World! I would like a word with Abby Jimenez and ask her how she keeps writing such amazing romance novels with lovable characters that suck me in from the get-go! She is an auto-read author for me and I loved everything about this story! Alexis is on her way home from a funeral when her car runs off the road into a ditch. She calls for help, but as she’s waiting, a nice gentleman stops and offers to pull her car out and she begrudgingly agrees. She drives to the nearest town and pulls into the only place open at that hour, the VFW, and meets her recuser there again, and learns his name is Daniel. After learning of a bet his friends have running, she agrees to platonically go home with him after he offers grilled cheese and the chance to see his baby goat. 🐐 One thing leads to another and its a not so platonic night, and she leaves in the morning before he wakes up, but Alexis can’t stop thinking of Daniel. And he’s almost 10 years younger than her. This is the kind of romance novels I love, where it has a solid plot with strong romantic feelings. There isn’t a ton of sex shown on page in this story, its there, its mentioned briefly how great it is, but its never gone into chapter long details about the sex and personally I enjoy when books aren’t just about the sex. Alexis has gone through emotional and mental abuse with her ex-boyfriend, who also works with her so she can’t avoid him, and has been going to therapy to help herself move on. This story does show both emotional abuse with Alexis and physical abuse in a relationship with one of the women she befriends in Wakan. There are resources listed in this book for anyone looking for help to get out of an abusive relationship and thats so important. #PartofYourWorld #AbbyJimenez (at Central Park, New York City) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChHwqNQrYgg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What's your favorite picture book or children's book?. I don't often read picture books anymore as an adult, but Tofu Takes Time by @helenhwu caught my attention and I loved it! This is an adorable story of time spent between a girl and her grandmother, with the girl learning patience. NaiNai (grandma) is cooking tofu but Lin wants it *now* - but NaiNai tells Lin good things take time and to practice patience. Everything is a process and Lin learns that everything comes from somewhere - be it the soil, or the river, or the sun. The artwork in this is so cute, its simplistic but also whimsical in parts. Any child would enjoy this book about family relations between a child and grandparent. I loved these preorder goodies Helen offered for preorders or library requests - and I picked up the physical copy to read which my library did purchase! I hope more children are able to enjoy this book as much as I did. #novelebookreads - Bookmarks #BookNookBingo - Picture book #AlltheBooksAug22 - Weekend reading #TofuTakesTime #tofu #vegan #kidsbookstagram #kidlitpicks #childrenslit #readtoyourkids #readaloudfamily #readersforlife #raisingbookworms #picturebookstagram #picturebooks #childrensbook #childrensliterature #childrenspicturebook #childrensillustrations #librarystorytime #boostingya https://www.instagram.com/p/Cg1treMLPC0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What is your favorite book you read in July?. ☀️ July means we’re fully into the summer now which means one thing for me: Summer concerts! 🎶 I went to 4 outdoor summer concerts this month, which meant I was listening to a lot of music and less listening to audiobooks this month, but I’m ok with that! I ended up seeing 9 Broadway shows in July too, less than previous months. I read 6 books, 2 comics, and 1 picture book in July. Full wrap up post on the blog now, link in bio. These are a few of my favorites from July:. 👻 The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston - Florence is a ghost writer who can also literally see ghosts. Sounds cliché, but it really works for this story! I grew up reading Meg Cabot’s The Mediator series and this was reminiscent of that – except make it 2022 and with adult concepts like romance and swear words. 🔅These Hollow Vows by Lexi Ryan - The way I forgot literally everything that happened in this book, boy am I glad I decided to reread this before These Twisted Bonds! It was a nice refresher and I was able to fly through this. I completely forgot how it ended, so I didn’t even pick up on any of the subtle clues early on. I really enjoyed this again the second time around – I cannot wait to just into These Twisted Bonds ASAP! #JulyWrapUp - #LMSJuly2022, #AlltheBooksJul22, #bookishconlifejul22, #novelebookreads, #TheShakespeareanaReads, #OceanBreezeandSummerReadsJul22, #MyFandomObsessionsJuly22, #StoriesWithStephJul22 #WrapUp #MonthlyWrapup #MonthlyReads #JulyReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookish #Bibliophile #Bookworm #BoostingYA #BookishLife #BooksOfIG #Bookstagrammer https://www.instagram.com/p/CgrZJGHrVHY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What's your favorite book convention you've attended OR one you hope to one day attend?. 📚 Last weekend I was able to attend ALA (American Library Association) Annual in Washington, D.C. Full blog post up now, link in bio. This was my first time attending & I’m so glad I finally experienced ALA Annual! It lives up to the hype that everyone says about it. Proof of vaccination or negative test as well as wearing a mask while in the convention center were required for ALA this year and I’m personally so glad they put these safety measures in place. I felt a lot safer with everyone (almost everyone) wearing a mask the entire time. I met some amazing authors and got to meet friends I only knew virtually! 🧙🏻‍♀️ Emily Hampshire, who played Stevie on Schitt’s Creek, and she was so incredibly nice! She has a book coming out in October 2022 called Amelia Aierwood – Basic Witch. ⚾️ Nic Stone - I actually got a book signed for my friend Elizabeth instead of myself, since she loves Nic Stone! Nic is an amazing person and so chill, if you ever get the chance to meet her – do it. 🔥 Jason Reynolds - one of the highlights of my weekend. Due to time he wasn’t personalizing sadly but it was still nice to meet him! He laughed at my "lips" face mask and that was fun, always a great conversation starter. (Not pictured):. 🕯Sabaa Tahir signed her graphic novel, A Thief Among the Trees, which I haven’t read yet but can’t wait to dive into, since I loved An Ember in the Ashes. 🍋 Emily Thiede, author of This Vicious Grace, was also a lot of fun since I loved that book. 🌈 Maia Kobabe, author of Gender Queer, a beautiful graphic novel and Maia was so kind. Overall I received 94 books total – 69 arcs & 25 finished copies! PHEW! I think I’m set with my reading materials for a while 🤓 ALA Annual 2023 is in Chicago, IL. I’m not sure yet if I’ll attend next year, but it is an amazing and fun experience and I highly recommend attending if you can! #ALA #ALAAnnual #alaannualconference #bookconvention #bookevent #bookishevent #NicStone #JasonReynolds #emilyhampshire #meetingauthors (at Walter E. Washington Convention Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cfj5CufAWkL/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What is your favorite book you read in June?. Can somebody please explain to me how we're already 7 months into 2022?! Make time slow down!. In June I read 8 books, 4 graphic novels, DNF-ed 1 book, went to 1 concert, traveled to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., went to ALA Annual, and saw 12 Broadway shows. Full wrap up post on the blog now, link in bio. These are a few of my favorites from June:. 🎨 Slip by Marika McCoola & Aatmaja Pandya - This is a fast paced graphic novel and I loved seeing the art work Jade and the other students created! Art isn’t just about the piece created, but the meaning behind it. This story also has a magical realism aspect to it which I didn’t expect. 💜The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann - My favorite part about this story is that both Joy and Malcolm identify as asexual but show it in different ways – this book shows that there isn’t one way to be ace, its a spectrum. This book has everything you would expect from a rom-com – except on page sex. 👻 Not Good For Maidens by Tori Bovalino - Goblin Market retelling, but make it LGBTQ+. Excellent fantasy/horror YA story. 🍏 Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert - As with the previous two books in this series, I went in mostly blindly to the Greek mythology aspect to this. Wicked Beauty focuses on Helen of Troy, Achilles, and Patroclus – all of whom I know nothing about, but you don’t need to know anything in advance in order to enjoy this story. This story is told in alternating perspectives between these three and I loved all of them. #JuneWrapUp - #LMSJuly2022, #AlltheBooksJul22, #bookishconlifejul22, #novelebookreads, #TheShakespeareanaReads, OceanBreezeandSummerReadsJul22, #readingadventuresjun22 #WrapUp #MonthlyWrapup #MonthlyReads #JuneReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookish #Bibliophile #Bookworm #BoostingYA #BookishLife #BooksOfIG #Bookstagrammer #bookishflatlay #librarybookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CfhTgifrqvt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What's a city, state, or country you've never been and would like to travel to?. I loveddd #InANewYorkMinute ! 🗽 Maybe it’s because I live in NYC and can relate, but this story felt so down to earth and realistic. (And I can’t relate in that I’ve met an attractive guy on the subway, I wish – just the city aspects.) 🚇 I loved this book and I’m so glad I decided to pick it up. Franny & Hayes meet-cute story on the subway goes viral thanks to someone snapping photos and sharing to Instagram, making them #SubwayQTs (since they were on the Q train….get it? HA!) This is a hilarious and charming story of two people who are different and yet keep seeing each other and become connected in ways they didn’t expect. I love Franny’s over the top personality – she is an artist, after all, and decides in her newly unemployed status to start her own Interior Design business. And I love how Hayes is a business and numbers guy, he has a routine and sticks to it every single day. In A New York Minute is a romance but its definitely more plot driven than most romance novels I read – there is not a lot of actual kissing or sex in this book, I would personally rate this at a high PG-13. They don’t kiss until over halfway through the book and the sex (spoiler not spoiler, its a romance, you knew it was coming) happens off page with little to no details. This didn’t bother me in the least. These characters were so interesting to read about and so well developed. Franny's two best friends and Hayes ‘work wife’ and cousin both played important roles in this story too and I feel like we got to know all of them. #novelebookreads - Comfort reads #AlltheBooksJun22 - Date with a book #booknookbingo - Library book #KateSpencer #romancebooks #romancereads #romancereadersofinstagram #librarybookstagram #librarybook #booksinnyc #newyorkcity #nycandbooks #booksandtravel #boostingya (at Times Square 42nd Street) https://www.instagram.com/p/CfJn97Nrue_/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What is the last book mail you received?. I've been cutting back on buying books lately because I'm going to ALA this weekend in Washington, D.C.! This will be my first time attending and I hear you get a LOT of books, so my TBR will be filled up for a while lol. But I did get the May #Illumicrate box that I wanted to share, this was a really solid box! #ILLUMICRATEMAY2022 The May box contained: 🌙 BOOK OF NIGHT BY HOLLY BLACK - with exclusive cover, foil embossing on the hardback and exclusive endpaper artwork by @rosdottir, sprayed edges, exclusive bonus content and a bound in author letter with digital signature⁣ 🌙 GRAVEBONE DAGGER REPLICA - inspired by Mia Corvere designed by @stacey.mcevoy.caunt ⁣ 🌙 GODDESS OF NIGHT TEACUP AND SAUCER - inspired by Nyx and designed by @niallcgrant ⁣ 🌙 DARK THE NIGHT BLACKOUT JOURNAL - inspired by Daughter of the Moon Goddess and designed by @blanca.design ⁣ 🌙 MONSTRESS METAL BOOKMARK - inspired by Monstress and designed by @dalandan.ielle I loved #Nevernight so I loveee this dagger replica! It's so cool! I also really enjoy the teacup & saucer - its a cute collectable item from Illumicrate that I'm really enjoying!. #StoriesWithStephJun22 - White cover #TheShakespeareanaReads, #AlltheBooksJun22 - Summer solstice #novelebookreads - Pretty books #booknookbingo - New release #Illumicrate #BookLovers #BookBox #BookOfNight #HollyBlack #Nevernight #DaughterOfTheMoonGoddess #Monstress #boostingya #bookishflatlay #booksandflowers #illumicrateunboxing #booksubscriptionbox https://www.instagram.com/p/CfEvgDQrKtN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What is your favorite book you read in May?. I know we're already 9 days into June but May kept me incredibly busy, I'm just now getting around to posting this, phew!. In May, I read 7 books, DNF-ed 1 book, went to 3 concerts, traveled to Chicago for a 3-day weekend, and saw 13 Broadway shows. I don’t know when I slept in May!. Full wrap up post on the blog now, link in bio. These are a few of my favorites from May:. 🍋 This Vicious Grace by Emily Thiede - Alessa is the chosen one – the Finestra – and each Finestra needs a Fonte – a person blessed by the goddess Dea with a unique gift – to work in tandem to protect their home island from the inevitable attack that comes every so often. This story goes with your typical “chosen one” troupe and switches it up, and I think that’s why I enjoyed it so much. It was something familiar with something new. I felt like I understood and could picture this world easily. 🐴 Something Wilder by Christina Lauren - This was Indiana Jones meets National Treasure meets -insert any rom com of your choosing here- and I loved it! I didn’t expect this to be such an adventure story and that was a pleasant surprise! This story heavily focuses on the treasure hunt aspect and trekking through the desert. The romance of Lily and Leo felt like it took a slow burn backseat to everything else going on. And you know what? I didn’t mind that at all. ⏳Piranesi by Susanna Clarke - Piranesi is one of the hardest books I may ever try to review, because it’s one of those books you need to experience for yourself. It’s strange. Its a meandering story and I wasn’t quite sure where it would lead me, but I love a good journey, so I stuck with it. #MayWrapUp #WrapUp #MonthlyWrapup #MonthlyReads #MayReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookish #Bibliophile #Bookworm #BoostingYA #BookishLife #BooksOfIG #Bookstagrammer #bookishflatlay #booksandbroadway #whatireadthismonth https://www.instagram.com/p/Celh42ALIA9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What are some LGBTQ+ books you're planning to read for Pride Month? 🏳️‍🌈. Happy Book Birthday to #Slip! 🎨 What better way to kick off Pride Month than reading this new release #graphicnovel featuring a budding sapphic relationship while Jade is at an intensive summer art program! This was a fun read that dealt with some heavy topics. Jade receives a phone call that her best friend Phoebe is in the hospital for intentionally hurting herself and attempting suicide. Jade is wrecked, but continues onto her intensive summer art program. Her medium is clay but she doesn’t have a real focus with her pieces, and that’s what she (and her teachers) hope she’ll make progress on throughout the program. This is a fast paced graphic novel and I loved seeing the art work Jade and the other students created! Art isn’t just about the piece created, but the meaning behind it. As an art major myself in college, I really appreciated the artist aspect of this story. I loved seeing the pieces Jade created! This story also has a magical realism aspect to it which I didn’t expect but found to be very fun and added another element to the story. Jade becomes friends with a classmate named Mary and they slowly become more than friends. Jade is distracted though with her life back home and how Phoebe is doing, and has to learn the best way to help her struggling friend from afar while still living her own life. I really enjoyed the fun whimsical style of the artwork. The majority is tone on tone but there are certain pages/panels that are in red and that splash of color made those moments stand out. Thank you to @algonquinyr for the advanced copy & having me on the blog tour. #slipbook #yabook #yagraphicnovel #yabook #MarikaMcCoola #AatmajaPandya #AlgonquinYR #SapphicBooks #QueerReads #Sapphic #GraphicNovels #QueerRepresentation #lgbtqrepresentation #pridemonth #bookishflatlay #booksandceramics #ceramics #booksandart #slipgraphicnovel https://www.instagram.com/p/CegOMkjLSNd/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Thks Fr Th Mmrs, @isaacslade of The Fray. The Fray aren’t done and I’m sure not done with them - but singer Isaac Slade is ready to move on and this was a farewell show. How do I put 15 years and 30 shows into words? It all added up this past Saturday, May 14th in Waukegan, IL. Never heard of it? Me either, but that didn’t stop me and all my friends - both new and old - from flying in from all over the country (and world 🇬🇧!) I’m so grateful this band has gotten me to travel all over and make friends from all corners. I’m grateful we could explore Chicago together and experience Isaac’s last show together. Check the many, many, MANY group photos we took. I cherish each and every one of you and each moment of this weekend. It’s truly all been a blur and a dream come true. Shout out to the OG E.B. without whom I don’t think I would have met so many of you or traveled to as many shows. It’s friends that make this “tour life” worth it. So from show 40 to 72, I’m so glad I saw Liz and said, “She’s been to 40 shows? I need to be her friend!” 🥲 I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend. I’m truly so happy with everything that took place. It’s not goodbye, just see you later and until next time. ✌🏻 I don’t know what Joe, Dave, and Ben (and Einar (?)!) will be doing next, but I’m here - ready, waiting, and will continue to support these guys in whatever the next chapter holds. TL;DR - I have a brand and it’s The Fray. #thefray #geneseetheatre #waukegan #waukeganillinois #neverheardofit #yethereweare #chicago #concertlife #nomusicnolife #lovemusicwilltravel #lookImPostingonInstagram #beproudofme #concertmemories #concertfriendsarethebestfriends (at Genesee Theatre) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdw8b-6sE0U/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What new release are you most excited for today?. I'm so glad A Show For Two is officially out in the world! I read Counting Down With You back in March and fell in love with @tashiebhuiyan’s writing, so I can't wait to start A Show For Two - my audiobook hold just came in and I'm listening to it today. Here's a quick synopsis from the author on Goodreads, which is way more fun than the official synopsis LOL. If this sounds like something you'd like, try it out! Me personally, I'm always here for books that are love letters to NYC, my city!. A SHOW FOR TWO is a YA contemporary novel and a love letter to New York City. It's inspired by when Tom Holland went undercover as a student at Tashie's high school during her senior year which is so wild and cool! This book has hate-to-love, a POC romance since Mina is Bangladeshi and Emmitt is Half-Chinese, a celebrity love interest, a complex sister relationship, in-depth discussions of mental health, a chaotic film club, loads of gen z antics, and nuanced family dynamics as the main character navigates her last year of high school. #AlltheBooksMay22 - Favorite genre #novelebookreads - Romance books #SpringFlowersMay22 - New book Tuesday #LoversBetweenCoversMay22 - Star crossed #LMSMay2022 - Right in the feels #booknookbingo - New release #AShowForTwo #CountingDownWithYou #TashieBhuiyan #inkyardpress #pocrepresentation #boostingya #yalit #ireadYA #newbookalert #readingisfun #fortheloveofbooks #readreadread #booktography #yaromance #libraryofbookstagram #librarybooks #bookishflatlay #romancebooks https://www.instagram.com/p/CdYSM04LXm4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What book are you most excited to read in May?. There's a few I'm excited for, such as: 🌹Yerba Buena by Nina LaCour – This one comes out May 31st and I won this physical arc from a Goodreads giveaway – shocking I know! I also have an audio arc of this so I’ll likely listen to it and read along. 🏠 This Is Not The Real World by Anna Carey – I got through my reread of This Is Not The Jess Show in April and wanted to start this arc ASAP, but suddenly life happened and I had no time! Let’s see if I can get to it SOON. 🎪 Hotel Magnifique by Emily J. Taylor – I’ve heard this has Caraval/Night Circus vibes so I’m going in without knowing too much. 💕The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann – I’m excited for Claire Kann’s adult debut novel! The MC is asexual so I cannot wait to jump into this one. I have a full blog post up now, link in bio, with all the books I hope to read this month. #MayTBR - #ReadingAdventuresMay22, #AprilPhotoChallenge, #MyFandomObsessionsMay22, #BombBooks2022, #loversbetweencoversMay22, #BookishBellesMay22, #bookishconlifemay22, #AlltheBooksMay22, #TheShakespeareanaReads, #ReadingInTheWeb, #CuddleUpWithMay22, #novelebookreads, #StoriesWithStephMay22, #SpringFlowersMay22, #WordsWineandWitBookClub, #mysterymay22 #MayHopefuls #boostingya #toberead #tbrpost #bookstackchallenge #bookstoread #libraryhaul https://www.instagram.com/p/CdHHpxiLgud/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What is your favorite book you read in April?. In April, I read 8 books total and DNF-ed 3 books. I’m impressed with myself this month – but then again I was in my car driving a lot, and thats when I tend to listen to audiobooks, so it makes sense. Life is too short so I’m ruthlessly DNF-ing books this year and I feel so much better for it. Full wrap up post on the blog now, link in bio. These are a few of my favorites from April:. 🍰 Love From Scratch by Kaitlyn Hill - Reese and Benny have such fun and easy banter and chemistry, Friends of Flavor decides to give the two their own mini-show called Amateur Hour! Love From Scratch also heavily deals with feminism. This is a solid read and may be one of my favorites of 2022! 💋 I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston - I listened to an early copy of this book and I enjoyed this book a lot. It’s a journey of finding yourself and your sexual/gender identify within a super religious setting. It’s realistic high school – a time I don’t personally miss but accurate for those currently living it. Highly recommend this one! Full review on the blog now. 🌃Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez - I absolutely loved everything about this story. Alexis and Daniel both felt like well developed characters with backstories and friends and families, and Alexis is going through a rough breakup with her abusive (and older, and Chief of Surgery boyfriend). We learned about all of this and it all felt natural and not forced upon us as a reader. This is the kind of romance novels I love, where it has a solid plot with strong romantic feelings. #AprilWrapUp - #AlltheBooksApr22, #TheShakespeareanaReads, #ReadingInTheWeb, #MyFandomObsessionsApr22, #BombBooks2022, #StoriesWithStephApr22, #ShhStagramAPR22, #bookishbellesapr22, #novelebookreads, #bookishconlifeapr22, #arcturns22, #LoversBetweenCoversApr22, #CuddleUpWithApril22, #SpringShowersApril22, #ReadGushApr22 #WrapUp #MonthlyWrapup #MonthlyReads #AprilReads #BookReviewer #BookBlogger #Bookstagram #Bookish #Bibliophile #Bookworm #BoostingYA #BookishLife #BooksOfIG #Bookstagrammer https://www.instagram.com/p/CdBLq99resw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Q: What's your favorite musical or play? Have you ever seen a stage production of any show? Tell me about it!. You might have noticed in my stories I've been seeing a lot of Broadway shows recently and sharing about it - its become a big part of my life and something I really enjoy! I'm fortunate to live within an hour of Manhattan so can easily get there to see shows on Broadway. I've seen 9 shows so far this month, with another planned for tomorrow, Saturday April 30th!. I've decided I'm going to start incorporating theatre/Broadway into my book posts whenever possible and blog posts too! For my monthly wrap up (coming soon!) I usually include a section of shows I've seen - starting this month, I'm giving my Broadway Wrap Up its own dedicated post, so stay tuned for that. When I read Bright Ruined Things I knew right away I wanted to take a photo of it at Moulin Rouge! The Musical and I had that chance earlier this month! My friend and I splurged on the Can-Can seats - which are right in front of the stage, and in front of the cat walk! It was an incredible experience to be so close to the actors on stage and see their facial expressions, I'm glad I had the chance to do that. Swipe to the end to see my full flapper dress outfit!. Sometimes the right book finds you at the right time and that’s how I feel about Bright Ruined Things. This is a standalone historical fiction/fantasy retelling of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest,’ – but don’t worry, I don’t know The Tempest at all and I still enjoyed this one immensely. I’m definitely feeling standalones these days – less commitment. And this entire story is told over the course of one day – there’s something about that fast pace that entices me. If you like intense world building and super deep character development, this isn’t for you, but I pictured it all as Great Gastby-esque – that was the world in my mind and it worked for me. Only the basics of the magic system are touched upon, but it was also enough for me. Have you read Bright Ruined Things yet?. #BrightRuinedThings #SamanthaCohoe #wednesdaybooks (at Moulin Rouge The Musical - Broadway) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cc8VVfrrif2/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=