March 2017: Recap + On My Shelves

March 2017: Recap + On My Shelves

• Apr 10, 2017

Happy April, darlings! I love welcoming spring, aside from all the pollen that makes being outside slightly miserable. March was a good month for reading and family fun, so let's ignore the fact that I barely blogged.

1. Colleen Oakley Signing - I kicked off the month by celebrating Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley! I adore this author and her books, so I loved being able to attend the launch party for her recent release. If you haven't read this book yet, let me convince you to pick it up immediately. It's already on my "Best of 2017" list!

2. Mindy Project Pencils - This is a silly thing to include, especially since there are "bigger" things I could talk about from March, but I truly do love these pencils! I had them on my Etsy wishlist for a while and finally bought them. The quotes are just too perfect, and they look so cute on my desk. Now I want the Grey's Anatomy set...

3. Samantha Shannon Signing - I'd had The Bone Season on my TBR since it came out in 2013, When I found out Samantha Shannon was coming to Atlanta, I knew I needed to finally read it so I could decide if I wanted to go to her event. That led to me bingeing all three books in about a week and now I WANT THEM ALL!

4. Family Adventures - We made several fun family memories in March! We got to hear our boy say his first word (our dog's name), see the joy on his face as he got to use the swing we bought for our backyard and laugh at his newfound love for yogurt. PS: This petting zoo made for a cute picture but was actually terrible.

Read 12 Books | Favorites:

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

Corruption by Jessica Shirvington

She Reads Truth by Raechel Myers & Amanda Bible Williams

Honorable Mentions:

The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

The Mime Order by Samantha Shannon 

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

“We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated.
An absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, a state, a nation.
Fear and anger can make us vindictive and abusive, unjust and unfair, until we all suffer
from the absence of mercy and we condemn ourselves as much as we victimize others.”
Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

“Knowledge in dangerous. [...] Once you know something, you can't get rid of it.
You have to carry it. Always.”
The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

“Never allow yourself to believe you should be silent.”
The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon

 “I find myself wondering which is more egregious, to pretend to be happy when you’re not,
or to feel so consistently dissatisfied when you should be happy.”
First Comes Love by Emily Giffin

 “When I’m zoomed in on my fear, I can’t see the faithfulness of God
and the steadfastness of His covenant.”
She Reads Truth by Raechel Myers and Amanda Bible Williams

Well, March was a bit of a bust when it came to blogging! I kicked off the month by recapping February 2017. Then, I recapped what I read in February with my Quick Lit: February 2017 post. Finally, I reviewed Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley - a new book from one of my favorite authors and already on my "Best of 2017" list! And that was it... Haha! Oh well, tomorrow is a new day.

1. Major Reorganization Goals by Lauren from Bookmark Lit - I love basically everything Lauren posts, but this post caught my eye because I've got all these to dos floating around in my head... and half-finished projects hanging around my house/computer/brain. This was a reminder that I need to write down my goals!

2. So I Quit Drinking by Sarah Bessey - I don't know anything about Sarah Bessey, but I saw this post shared on Facebook in March and immediately saved it. It was beautifully written, honest and relatable. I loved her thoughts on the value of conviction and the perspective of seeing it as an invitation. 

3. 15 #TryPod Recommendations for New & Seasoned Podcast Listeners by Anne from Modern Mrs. Darcy - Another month, another favorite post from Anne Bogel. Haha! I sporadically listen to podcasts, but I saved this for reference in the future. Am I the only person who struggles to balance music, audiobooks and podcasts?

Favorite Song: "Every Little Thing" by Carly Pearce

I found this song through author Bethany Chase. She mentioned it in an Instagram post

because "it's kind of turning into the mantra of my current book." I WANT THAT BOOK!

Favorite Album: ÷ (Deluxe) by Ed Sheeran

This was probably a given, right? I've been anxiously awaiting this release, and it didn't disappoint! 

I honestly think it might be Ed's best album yet. (And no, I can't pick a favorite song.)

Hacksaw Ridge (2016) starring Andrew Garfield and Sam Worthington - Nick and I had been interested in seeing this movie when it first came out but never made it to theaters. We finally watched it in March and loved the story. It's almost hard to believe that it's based on a real person - it's that inspiring! The movie itself wasn't a total favorite for me, but it was still worth watching to learn about Desmond Doss.

Vampire Diaries, Season 8, starring Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder - I made no secret about the fact that I still watched The Vampire Diaries. Although I lost a lot of interest after Nina Dobrev left, I kept tuning in to see what would happen to the Salvatore brothers. But I wasn't sad to learn the show was ending this year because it was time. The series finale was in March, and I was really pleased with the ending overall!

The Americans, Seasons 1-3, starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys - Nick and I were looking for a new show to binge, and I suggested The Americans based on what I'd heard about it. Although I hate the sexual content, we've been obsessively watching it! The secret spy business, political maneuvering and complicated emotional tension has me hooked. Plus, I've loved Keri Russell since her Felicity days so it's fun to see her in this role.

Bargain Books: The Last Chance Matinee by Mariah Stewart, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan, Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon, Golden Son and Morning Star by Pierce Brown 

From Signings: The Mime Order and The Song Rising by Samantha Shannon and Close Enough to Touch by Colleen Oakley

Just Because: Never Unfriended by Lisa-Jo Baker

From Kelly: Wires and Nerve by Marissa Meyer and Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn 

From Lauren + Danielle: What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

For Review: Corruption by Jessica Shirvington, The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen M. Flynn, The Secrets You Keep by Kate White, The Translation of Love by Lynne Katsukake and The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson

NetGalley: The F Word by Liza Palmer, Beartown by Fredrik Backman and Purple Hearts by Tess Wakefield

Kindle Deals: The Bright Side of Disaster by Katherine Center, Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon, Swipe Right by Levi Lusko, Falling Free by Shannan Martin, Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist, A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny, What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage by Paul David Tripp and Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber