March 2019: Recap + On My Shelves

March 2019: Recap + On My Shelves

• Apr 11, 2019

March felt like it was a fever dream. How has it already come and gone? I spent so much time preparing for my trip to England with Kelly, and then it passed in a blur. But I'm still so thankful and have so much to share about it!

1. Family Trip to the Zoo – For my son's birthday last year, we got a membership to Zoo Atlanta. He loves animals, and it paid for itself in two trips. I realized it was expiring soon, and we'd only been once. Oops! We made it a priority to go in March, and my son couldn't stop talking about it. We made great memories!

2. Gorgeous Days Outside – Hello, spring! I've missed you, beautiful days and warm weather. Georgia has mild winters, but I still eagerly anticipate the return of afternoons outside and light late into the evening. We spent lots of time in the backyard, the neighborhood playground, and our screened-in porch.

3. Traveling with Kelly – For the last few days of March (and first few of April), I was in England with Kelly. I could have devoted this entire "What I Loved" section to that trip, but I'll contain myself to two. My favorite thing about the trip was being with Kelly! We have the best time together, and she's the best travel partner. 

4. Exploring England – Aside from a week with my bestie, I loved every minute in England. We stayed in London but took day trips out of the city, and it was amazing to see so many different places. From the Cotswolds countryside to the Rye coast, I wouldn't change a thing about the trip. I've got a recap of it coming soon!

Read 21 Books | Favorites:

Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers

A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker

“The past can teach us, nurture us, but it cannot sustain us.
The essence of life is change, and we must move ever forward or the soul will wither and die.”
Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

 “Your love cannot change a man – or a god. All it can do is open a door,
create a new path for him to choose. One that has not been open to him before.
That is what the power of your loved can offer him – all of that, and no more.”
Courting Darkness by Robin LaFevers

“A long time ago I learned not to explain things to people.
It misleads them into thinking they're entitled to know everything I do.”
Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas

“You are the fool, Tiberius, because you still do not understand.
I do not love her enough to kill for her... I love her enough to die for her.”
A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn

 “But what good is it to teach a child to count, if you don't show him that he counts for something?”
Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave

“From time to time, I may adjust a situation to achieve a desired outcome
for the benefit of my children, but that's not meddling.”
“What do you call it, then?”
“Parenting,” he said smugly, and kissed her before she could reply.
Devil's Daughter by Lisa Kleypas

“Wendy, one girl is more use than twenty boys.”
Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

“If midnight is witching hour, two a.m. is dwelling hour.”
The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

I found my blogging mojo in March and worked on posts that I'd been putting off for months! I was most proud of myself for finally catching up on my months-long review backlog, but I'll get there in a second. I started the month with my February 2019 recap. I came out of full-length review retirement to rave about Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. I shared eight things I've been loving lately in my So Obsessed With: Mini Edition #6 post. And I resurrected a series review feature that I hadn't done in years when I did a Series Speed Date: Round #10 for The Winner's Trilogy. And I shared 15 audiobooks recommendations for a Top Ten Tuesday topic.

But my proudest accomplishment was all the reviews I wrote! I'd gotten so behind on Quick Lit posts that I wondered if I'd ever catch up. But I finally did! I posted Quick Lit review round-ups for November 2018, December 2018, and January 2019 Part One and Part Two. The rest of the Quick Lits I wrote posted in April, so I'll share those in next month's recap. Now I've just got to promise myself that I'll never get that behind again...

Am I finding my bookstagram footing when it comes to posting more regularly? I hope so! I still struggle with replying to comments and interacting with all the posts in my feed, but I'm working on it. There were a few other photos I loved in March, but this one was my favorite. I just snapped it on a whim when I noticed that my shirt, flowers and books all had hints of pink, and I loved the end result! It feels like Spring to me. • @soobsessedblog

  Favorite Album: GIRL by Maren Morris
I was obsessed with Maren's previous album and had it on repeat the entire summer it came out.
This one feels a more pop-y, but I don't mind it. The songs are so catchy! "Good Bones" is my fave.



Favorite Song: Sucker by The Jonas Brothers
I never cared about The Jonas Brothers when they were popular, but dang if I don't love this song.
I can't stop listening to it! And y'all, I'm even more in love with the music video for it.

Queer Eye, Season 3, starring Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, & Jonathan Van Ness – I've loved every season of this Netflix show, and there are always a few episodes each season that make me cry. While I think this one might be my least fave of the three, I still find the stories so moving and the group dynamic so fun to watch. I'm probably biased, but I do think it was better when they were in Georgia. Haha! 

I didn't watch any new-to-me movies in March, but Kelly and I spent the month watching movies + reading books set in England and France to get hyped for our trip. I re-watched eight movies and thought I'd briefly mention them:

Belle (2013) starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Sam Reid – I adore this movie and have raved about it before. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out! It's a fave and always makes me curious about the story that inspired it.

What a Girl Wants (2003) starring Amanda Bynes and Colin Firth – I needed a little comedy to break up the costume dramas, so I reached for this classic from my youth. While I eye-rolled a lot, Colin Firth was worth it.

Far From the Madding Crowd (2015) starring Carey Mulligan and Matthias Schoenaerts – This movie is just so gorgeous! The heroine is a total pill, in my opinion, but I'm here for the dreamy hero and fantastic cinematography. 

Marie Antoinette (2006) starring Kirsten Dunst – I don't love Dunst in general, but I think she's so wonderful in this role. I love the entire feel of this movie and its music. It's worth watching for the costumes + sets alone! 

Persuasion (2007) starring Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones – I know of two Persuasion movie adaptations and honestly don't love either of them. I mostly watched this one because I re-read the book in March!

My Week with Marilyn (2011) starring Michelle Williams and Eddie Redmayne – I've only seen this one other time, and Eddie Redmayne is the real draw for me. Hello, handsome. I like this movie, but I probably won't re-watch again.

Becoming Jane (2007) starring Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy – Will I ever get sick of this movie? NOPE. It's not really historically accurate, but I don't care at all. It's so romantic! Ahhh, the power of meaningful eye contact.

The Young Victoria (2009) starring Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend – Another favorite, even though I've mentally separated it from the reality of Victoria and Albert. Emily Blunt is fantastic in the role, and the romance makes me swoon.

New Books: A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn, Lovely War by Julie Berry and Daisy Jones & the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Goldsboro Edition)

Goodwill: Shadow of Night and The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness and Faithful by Alice Hoffman (not pictured)

UK Trip (Pt. 1): Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane, The Skylark's War by Hilary McKay, A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (3 editions), and 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

From Alexa: The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves and Girls with Sharp Sticks by Suzanne Young

NetGalley: The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker, Aurora Rising by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff, Say You Still Love Me by K.A. Tucker

For Review (Not Pictured): Springtime at Hope Cottage by Annie Rains, A Rogue by Night by Kelly Bowen, This Book is Not Yet Rated by Peter Bognanni

Audible: Grave Mercy, Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers, Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn, and Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo