December 2015: Recap + On My Shelves
I found my blogging mojo in December - I think looking back at the year that finally motivated me to work on posts. It seems crazy that it's time to say goodbye to 2015, but I'm so excited about what 2016 has in store!
1. New Bookshelves - To be honest, my absolute favorite part of December isn't pictured here. We had our 20-week ultrasound for the baby, which was absolutely amazing! But after the appointment, Nick and I went to IKEA and I got these new bookshelves. I'm in love and feel like I live in a bookstore now!
2. Gift from Alexa - My Christmas gift from sweet Alexa absolutely blew me away! It was a Hunger Games themed package because it's one of my all-time favorite series. I adored everything - the t-shirt, the Funko Pop, the cool neon edition of the first book, the paintings of the book covers, the bookmark, the bracelet... LOVE!
3. Gift from Kelly - I was seriously freaking out when I opened Kelly's Christmas gift to me because it's PERFECT for me. The Mellark Bakery print is so awesome, and it came with a cool "letter from Peeta" about the reopening in District 12. Obsessed! And the Jane Austen mug is covered in quotes, which makes it my favorite.
4. Gift from Ellice - Darling Ellice surprised me with this Christmas gift - an Anne of Green Gables ornament and a May Book (with a watercolor cover that I've had my eye on for MONTHS). Two of my favorite things in one package! I'm so thankful for the friends I've made through blogging and our shared love of books.
Read 9 Books | Favorites:
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
Unequal Affections by Lara Ormiston
Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
Challenge Progress:
1 Fantasy for Flights of Fantasy Challenge
2 Re-Reads for The Re-Read Challenge
2 Diverse Read for Dive into Diversity
0 Series for Series a Month
"I was selfish!—because I thought only of how much I wanted her;
I was arrogant because I was so certain that marriage to me would be an unalloyed good for her.
She was poor; I would make her rich. She was unmarried; I would make her a wife.
She was unappreciated and unequalled in her current company;
I would take her and place her among society worthy of her.
I would give all and be all, and never did I consider
how little she truly desired anything I had to offer."
Unequal Affection by Lara Ormiston
"Last night was what love is supposed to feel like,
terrifying and beautiful and so close you're afraid you'll lose a piece of yourself,
but you don't. You gain a piece of the person you love instead,
a piece that makes you stronger and happier than you could have imagined possible."
Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
I was arrogant because I was so certain that marriage to me would be an unalloyed good for her.
She was poor; I would make her rich. She was unmarried; I would make her a wife.
She was unappreciated and unequalled in her current company;
I would take her and place her among society worthy of her.
I would give all and be all, and never did I consider
how little she truly desired anything I had to offer."
Unequal Affection by Lara Ormiston
terrifying and beautiful and so close you're afraid you'll lose a piece of yourself,
but you don't. You gain a piece of the person you love instead,
a piece that makes you stronger and happier than you could have imagined possible."
Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay
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1. Build your kids' libraries with these wonderful, beautiful books. by Anne from Modern Mrs. Darcy - I absolutely love beautiful books, especially classics, so this post was right up my alley! With a baby on the way, I'm already plotting what children's books I want to add to our library. This post - and the comments - gave me great ideas!
2. 2015 Obsessions by Alexa from Alexa Loves Books - I had so much fun browsing through Alexa's favorite things of 2015! I loved seeing them all compiled into one giant post - with tons of photos - and that she included favorite moments. And I was thrilled to see a few things on the list that I introduced her to!
3. What This Book Gave to Me by Estelle from Rather Be Reading - Ah, my favorite post of December! Estelle has a special gift for writing about how books have affected her personally, and nowhere is it more evident than in this post. She makes me want to add every single book she mentioned to my TBR immediately!
Favorite Album: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Pt. 2 by James Newton Howard
I didn't listen to a lot of music in December, aside from this album. I love listening to movie scores,
and the ones for The Hunger Games movies don't disappoint! My favorite track on this one is "Primrose."
Southpaw (2015) starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams and Forest Whitaker - Although I have no interest in boxing, I have a soft spot for movies about it! I rented Southpaw from Redbox on a whim and really enjoyed it. I thought Jake Gyllenhaal was great in the role, and I totally cried watching it. #pregnancyhormones
Testament of Youth (2014) starring Alicia Vikander and Kit Harrington - I've been dying to see this movie ever since I caught the trailer on YouTube, and I finally got the chance to watch it when I was gifted a copy for Christmas. It felt a little bit rushed at times, but I still loved it. Now, I need to read the memoir it's based on!
Book Outlet Buys: If You Find This Letter by Hannah Brencher, Maid of Deception by Jennifer McGowan, Sarah's Quilt and The Star Garden by Nancy E. Turner and Just Ella and Palace of Mirrors by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Bought: This Shattered World and Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, Tiny Little Thing and Along the Infinite Sea by Beatriz Williams, Awe by Paul David Tripp, The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer and The Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
From My Mom: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen and Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Gifted from Nick: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, Unequal Affection by Lara Ormiston, Searching for Jane Austen by Emily Auerbach and Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally
Dear America from Nick: I Walk in Dread by Lisa Rowe Fraustino, Look to the Hills by Patricia C. McKissack, Love Thy Neighbor by Ann Turner, All the Stars in the Sky by Megan McDonald, Seeds of Hope by Kristiana Gregory, Land of the Buffalo Bones by Marion Dane Bauer, When Christmas Comes Again by Beth Seidel Levine, A Time for Courage by Kathryn Lasky, Mirror, Mirror on the Wall by Barry Denenberg, Survival in the Storm by Katelan Janke, My Secret War by Mary Pope Osborne and Early Sunday Morning by Barry Denenberg
Gifted: What Katie Ate on the Weekend by Katie Quinn Davis, The Annotated Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller
From Betty: The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie + walrus socks, Ravenclaw sweatpants and bookish magnets
From Secret Sis: Princess of Thorns by Stacey Jay and I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt + other goodies!
Kindle Sales Got to Me: It's Not Me, It's You by Mhairi McFarlane, Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway and Quintana of Charyn by Melina Marchetta
Audible: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen and Unequal Affections by Lara Ormiston
What a fabulous month, Hannah! You kept your reading mojo, got back your blogging mojo, and got some majorly cool gifts! (Plus that little baby!! I still want to hug you so much every time you talk about it! <3 )
ReplyDeleteNew bookshelves... swoon! Confession time: my husband has been talking about the possibility of buying a new home in the next 1-2 years and my initial thought is how sad I will be to leave my gorgeous bookshelves. My father custom made the bookshelf to fit a nook in what I use as the home library. I can't imagine not having them anymore! The Mellark Bakery print - simply awesome!! And I loved Emmy & Oliver so, so much.
ReplyDeleteTanya @ Girl Plus Books
There are so many things I love about this post, Hannah! First of all, YAY for your 20-week ultrasound!! That's so exciting!! Can you believe you're already halfway through?! I'm so glad to hear everything is going well with you and the baby so far! And those bookshelves from IKEA--I'm dying over that gorgeous library. I love what you did with the spotlights on the shelves, too! That little one is bound to love books just as much as you do. We need to get together and catch up on everything soon! :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, you got so many lovely looking books! And eep I'm happy Princess of Thorns was one of the favorites you read this month. I LOVE that book! Your shelves are seriously gorgeous. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little envious. ;) I cannot wait to have my own little library one day. And ooh, I'm definitely gonna have to check out Southpaw. I really like boxing movies for some reason, and I love both Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams. Looks like you had a great December! I hope you have an even lovelier January. :)
ReplyDeleteYay December! I love your new bookshelves (but I'm also totally biased because I got them in December too and love them loads). And I'm so thrilled you loved my present! <3
ReplyDeleteYay for an amazing December! I'm so glad you liked your Christmas happy. :)
ReplyDeleteCheers to an AMAZING 2016. I'm so excited for the great things that will be happening for you this year. <333