'Am I not merciful?'

'Am I not merciful?'

Dec 22, 2017

Honestly, I was super skeptical of Illuminae and Gemina by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff. I'm not opposed to hyped books, but I just heard so much about these and wasn't sure they'd work for me. After all, I'm not generally a fan of science fiction. But I remained curious about that I couldn't resist buying the first when it was on sale on Audible earlier this year. I figured it was worth a shot!

When I was trying to think of a book for November's Picky Pledge Reading Challenge prompt, "A Book Because of the Hype," this series immediately came to mind. These are definitely some of the most-hyped books that I can think of from the past two years (in the blogging / YA world, at least)! Realizing they were perfect for this prompt was the push I needed to dive in instead of letting them languish on my TBR.

I started the Illuminae audiobook on a day when I had to spend several hours in the car, which was the perfect decision. If I'd only listened to 30 minutes or so, I probably would have turned it off, majorly confused, and just saved it for a later date. But since I had almost four hours of uninterrupted listening, I got completely hooked! It was a little hard to get into the story at the beginning, especially because it's written as a dossier of hacked documents (emails, interviews, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, etc.), but I found my groove. 

The plot is a little hard to explain or summarize without sounding so overwhelming, but here's the gist: on the morning Kady breaks up with her boyfriend, her planet is invaded. It's the year 2575 and two rival megacorporations are at war over Kady's home, even though it's just a speck at the edge of the universe. As you might expect, this interstellar drama brings Kady and her ex-boyfriend back into each others' orbits as they're forced to work together to survive enemy warship, a deadly plague, and an Artificial Intelligence system that seems to be taking on a life of its own. This is NOT something that would typically appeal to me.

Y'all, I can't believe how much I loved this story! Listening to it on audio and flipping through my physical copy to see everything was the best decision. I thought the audio might lessen the experience, but it only enhanced it. The production is insanely amazing - a full cast of narrators, sound effects and more that make it feel like you're hearing a movie (but better, of course). This might be my favorite audiobook I've ever listened to! I loved having a print copy of the book, however, because I did feel like the format and details made it so unique.

By the time the audiobook ended, I'd fallen in love with the characters and the world. So, I had to start Gemina as soon as I was done. And y'all, dare I say it? I think I loved it even more! Honestly, I didn't think it was possible. Was part of my love based on the fact that the main characters were named Hanna and Nik (ahem, yours truly + my husband) and a side character named Jackson (my dog)? Maaaaaybe so. But I also just enjoyed this relationship dynamic (pampered rich girl vs member of a notorious crime family) immensely! 

I can't say anything about this plot without spoiling the first book, so I won't describe it at all. However, I can say that I was pleased at the way this built on the action from the first book! Seeing how the stories tied together was one of my favorite parts. As with the first book, I felt my pulse pounding and heart racing the whole time I was listening! I really thought these books wouldn't be the right fit for me, but I'm so thrilled I was wrong.

There's a good reason these books were so hyped, and I'm excited that I get to add to the praise. If I had to nitpick, I will note that they're occasionally gruesome (murder and plagues, y'all) and there's a lot of cursing (it's "censored" in the book, but your mind fills in the blanks). I think the stories make you work as a reader -- the format is different, it takes a long time for certain questions to be answered and they're ambitious in scope. But, for me, they were unique, creative, and addicting. They’ll definitely be on my Best of 2017 list! 

Illuminae and Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Release Date: October 2015; October 2016 | Publisher: Penguin Random House; Knopf BFYR

Pages: 608 pages; 659 pages | Source & Format: Bought; Hardcovers & Audiobooks

This was my eleventh read for The Picky Pledge Reading Challenge that Alexa and I are doing in 2017! It's the perfect motivation to read books from my TBR and adds an extra dose of accountability, too. In addition to reading and reviewing one challenge book per month, we're answering three questions about each one!

1. How long has this book been on your TBR? 

Not very long! I bought the first in January 2016 - and really wasn't even interested in it before then.

2. What kind of hype (social media, Goodreads, etc.) made you want to read it? 
I think the hype actually made me MORE nervous to read it! I had such high expectations going into it and truly thought it would disappoint me. But I also know that seeing so much buzz on social media when it first came out, and then seeing so many high ratings from my Goodreads friends are the reason it was even on my radar in the first place. The positive Audible reviews were the final push I needed to give it a shot!

3. Did it live up to the hype?
YES, I GET IT NOW! They were so weird and wonderful, and I already want to listen to them again.

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'...the kind of roots you would need when the storm was strong.'

'...the kind of roots you would need when the storm was strong.'

Dec 21, 2017

A series of serendipitous events brought Far from the Tree by Robin Benway to my attention. It started when I was looking for a book that could count for the "a book nominated for an award in 2017" prompt for Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2017 Reading Challenge. A few days later, I saw that Far from the Tree was nominated for the National Book Award. Since I'd enjoyed Emmy and Oliver last year, I thought it might be a good option. THEN, the ladies at Go Fug Yourself mentioned it in this post - celebrating its win and adding their own personal recommendation for it! I take their recs seriously, so I knew I had to read it.

Two weeks later, my husband and I took a trip to New York. It was a lovely little getaway, and we packed so many adventures into our time there. And I made sure we had time to visit Books of Wonder, a local children's bookstore! I spotted Far from the Tree on an endcap - signed, no less! - and promptly bought it. And that's the story of how it eventually became the perfect choice for October's Picky Pledge Reading Challenge prompt, "A Book You Bought While Traveling." (Yes, I didn't read a book for this prompt until December. Oops!)

A few nights ago, I couldn't decide what to read and grabbed a few books off my shelves to sample. Far from the Tree was one of them, and I was hooked from the first chapter. This is the story "three adopted siblings who find each other at just the right moment." Grace is an only child who was adopted at birth, but she goes looking for her biological family after putting her own baby up for adoption. That search leads her to Maya, her younger biological sister (adopted at birth to a family with another child), and Joaquin, their older brother who has spent seventeen years in the foster care system.

This book switches between the point of view of each sibling, something that typically annoys me. But I was so glad I got to experience the perspective of all three siblings! They have had different upbringings, family experiences, expectations for the future and their own unique hurts and hangups. I grieved with Grace after she gave up her baby for adoption, with Joaquin as he dealt with guilt and shame over his past and with Maya as she watched her parent unraveling. I haven't gone through these experiences personally, but Benway brought me into their lives in a way that felt so real and so personal. 

Needless to say, it was an emotional reading experience. I laughed, got angry, shed some tears... Benway made me fully invested in these characters. If you ask me what I remember most about this book, it's the emotions. Don't get me wrong - it's a tightly plotted book with well-developed characters and quotable writing. BUT MAN, THE EMOTIONS. Reading this book reminded me of the way I feel when I watch This is Us -- a little weepy by hopeful and reminded of the beauty of families, even in brokenness. 

I wasn't crazy about the romances, but that's partly because I wanted them to be more developed (or just removed completely). With so many good storylines, they were the least compelling part of the book (with one exception because RAFE). I liked that you saw how insecurity (and sometimes self-sabotage) affected all of them, but it also made them feel a bit too similar or repetitive. But overall, that's a minor complaint!

Far from the Tree is about growing up, seeing your parents in a new light, being there for the people you love, getting some things right and others wrong, and being scared but doing it anyway. It's a love letter to families of all kinds. It's a heartfelt depiction of the people who annoy you the most but love you the deepest. It shows that families are messy and imperfect but they matter. I loved this one and am so glad I picked it up in New York City! Now I'll always have special memories associated with this lovely, heartwarming books.

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

Release Date: October 3, 2017 | Publisher: HarperCollins; HarperTeen

Pages: 384 pages | Source & Format: Bought; Hardcover 

This was my tenth read for The Picky Pledge Reading Challenge that Alexa and I are doing in 2017! It's the perfect motivation to read books from my TBR and adds an extra dose of accountability, too. In addition to reading and reviewing one challenge book per month, we're answering three questions about each one!

1. How long has this book been on your TBR? 

By the time I read it, it had only been on my TBR for about two weeks!

2. Where were you when you bought this book?
In New York City! After a full day of wandering the city, we stopped at Books of Wonder.

3. Do you typically buy books while traveling?
I do! If possible, I try to buy at least one book from a local independent bookstore. But all bets are off when we go to the beach because I can never restrict myself to just one book. 

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'Still, I always thought my homeland was a single place. I was wrong.'

'Still, I always thought my homeland was a single place. I was wrong.'

Dec 18, 2017

The Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson

Release Date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: HarperCollins | William Morrow

Pages: 352 pages

Source & Format: Publisher; ARC

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Thoughts on The Almost Sisters

The first book I read by Joshilyn Jackson didn't quite work for me, and I originally stopped reading the second. But I picked up The Opposite of Everyone earlier this year and really liked it! I loved Jackson's use of voice, the themes it explored, and the way I thought about it long after I was finished. After that experience, I was interested in more from her. Enter The Almost Sisters. I received an unsolicited review copy in March, just a few weeks after finishing The Opposite of Everyone. It was meant to be!

I read it in July, right around its publication, and fell head over heels in love. I immediately told Cassie she had to read it. I got the audiobook for future re-reads and grabbed a hardcover as soon as it was out (a signed edition, no less!). This is a new all-time favorite for me. And just like my review of The Alice Network from a few months ago, this is another instance where I loved a book so much that it took me forever to review it. I needed to secretly savor it's excellence! I'll tell you all the reasons I loved it in a moment, but first I've got to tell you what happened next.

On my new Joshilyn Jackson high, I picked up gods in Alabama, her debut... and the book I'd stopped reading a few years ago. As I returned to the story, I realized that I'd walked away initially because I hadn't been in the right frame of mind for it. When I was done with that one, I picked up Backseat Saints because the heroine was a secondary character from gods in Alabama. It ended up being my second favorite book from Jackson, and my love for it was the reason I then picked up A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty. So, I've now read 6 of Jackson's 8 books (and will read the other 2 books, too). And you know? I'm planning to re-read the one I started with because I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll like it more now than I did originally.

With each new book I read, I've gained a deeper appreciation for Jackson's talent. Her characters are flawed but relatable. She approaches heavy topics with sensitivity and honesty. I love the way she writes dialogue, and I'm consistently impressed by the emotions she's able to capture. She's got a great sense of humor and never fails to make me laugh, even when the stories are more serious. So, obviously, I've become quite a fan of her work. Now, let me get back to talking about my love for Jackson's most recent release.

My son, Digby, began at exactly 3:02 in the morning on the first Friday in June. I don't mean his conception or his birth. I mean the moment he began for me, which happened in between those two larger event. It was a start so small I almost didn't notice. I was very, very busy panicking about my job.

And so begins The Almost Sisters. From this very first paragraph, I was hooked. Leia Birch Briggs is a graphic novelist with a love for superheroes, and that weakness lands her bed with a handsome (and anonymous) Batman one night at a comics convention. She winds up pregnant and can't find the right time to tell her conventional, Southern family about her impending single motherhood (or the fact that the baby is biracial) in the wake of the new that her step-sister's marriage is imploding and her ninety-year-old grandmother, Birchie, has been hiding signs of dementia. Leia returns to Alabama to put Birchie's affairs in order but ends up uncovering a family secret that reaches all the way back to the Civil War. Exposing the truth changes everything for Leia - the way she sees herself, her family and the world she thought she knew.

I honest to goodness loved everything about this book. Seriously, I wouldn't change a single thing about it. I was immediately invested in Leia's story - her love for graphic novels and comics was fascinating, her narrative voice was compelling and her journey was captivating. But the secondary characters -  Leia's grandmother, sister, niece and more - were all just as well developed. They jumped off the page and into my heart!

And honestly, the heroine and the quirky cast of secondary characters were elevated by Jackson's clear-eyed look at the South. The truths at the heart of this book are hard but necessary, especially in our current political climate. There were a few pages that I read multiple times. I wanted to quote them here, but they're more powerful in context. But the important thing is this: Jackson (who lives in Georgia) clearly loves the South, but she also sees its ugliness, too. And this is the story of a woman who is learning that the version of the South she's always known and loved isn't the only one that exists. It was powerful and, in my opinion, deftly handled.

There were a lot of storylines at play in the book, but I truly enjoyed them all. I predicted a bit of what happened, but that was fine with me. It wasn't the mystery or twists that drew me to this book. Instead, it was the characters, the voice, and the exploration of complex issues. This is Southern fiction at its finest. You won't find tired clichés or a cardboard setting here. Instead, it's a rich, nuanced portrait of a diverse place, the people who inhabit it, and the truth about privilege and perception. I have already pushed this book on several of my closest friends and will continue to sing its praises in the months to come. I cannot wait to re-read it in the future - on audio, of course, so I can enjoy Jackson's superb narration. A BEST OF 2017, no question.

So Quotable

“You go to bed, too, and don’t fret, hear me? Things feel hard now, but it will pass. Everything passes, and something new comes along to fill the space.”

* I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review.

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Quick Lit: October 2017

Quick Lit: October 2017

Dec 15, 2017

Yes, you read the post title correctly. This is my Quick Lit post for October. I know, I know. I actually had most of it finished by the end of that month, aside from two reviews, and then I completely forgot about it. Oops!

I finished 15 books in October, and I'm reviewing 12 of those in today's post. It's a long one! I surprisingly read a lot of non-fiction and many were library books. That's not super helpful for tackling my TBR, but at least it saves money. If you're looking for more book recommendations, check out the linkup at Modern Mrs. Darcy. 

I shared my September Quick Lit in October, which had a lot of variety. Additionally, I posted a review for First Comes Love by Emily Giffin (my September Picky Pledge Challenge choice) and a review of the The Fate of the Tearling by Erika Johansen, which included thoughts on the first two books after re-reading. On to the reviews:

GLITTER AND GLUE BY KELLY CORRIGAN | I heard of this book a while ago, but it popped up on my radar again recently. Y'all, I loved it so much! The title comes from the way Corrigan's mother summarized their family dynamic: "Your father's the glitter but I'm the glue." This lovely memoir examines the bond between mothers and daughters, and I couldn't put it down. I loved Corrigan's storytelling ability and the wit and warmth that nicely balanced the more heartbreaking moments. You don't have to be a mother to enjoy this book, but I think I appreciated it more now than I would have if I'd read it a few years ago. In fact, I So Loved It.

STANDARD DEVIATION BY KATHERINE HEINY | I've recently become a huge fan of the podcast From the Front Porch and love following co-host (and bookstore owner) Annie B. Jones on Instagram. I became curious about this book after her glowing review of it, but I thought it might be too literary for me. You can imagine my surprise when I realized that I So Loved It! Heiny's characters are fantastic - quirky but compelling. The writing had me completely engaged and frequently laughing over the dry humor. I wish there'd been a bit more to the plot (it's definitely a character-driven novel with a slower pace) but I think that was also part of its charm.

FOOD FIGHTS BY LAURA JANA AND JENNIFER SHU | My eighteen-month-old is a picky eater, which can be very frustrating. I know it's common at this age (and often a control / asserting independence issue more than anything else), but I felt like I needed some reassurance and practical advice. Thankfully, I loved that this book was positive, encouraging and helpful. The tone was occasionally corny, but I'll take that over judgmental/discouraging. I skimmed a few sections that weren't relevant, but I appreciated the overall advice. I So Liked It and thought it was a good starting point in my "picky eating" research.

BREAD AND WINE BY SHAUNA NIEQUEST | I bought this in a Book Outlet sale but ended up borrowing the audiobook from my library. While I missed out on the recipes in that format, it was lovely hearing Niequist read her own work. I'm not a foodie or an extrovert, so I was surprised by how much this book spoke to me! I loved Niequist's descriptions of food, her love for entertaining, and her talent for finding meaning in the smallest moments. I couldn't always relate to her lifestyle or personality, but she still managed to draw me in to her story. I will definitely be re-reading this one in the future - highlighter in hand - because I So Loved It.   

THE KEY TO EXTRAORDINARY BY NATALIE LLOYD | Many years ago, I was subscribed to a faith-based magazine for teen girls. My favorite thing about getting my copy every month was flipping to Natalie Lloyd's column. So, I've been following her work for more than a decade. I read A Snicker of Magic last year (obsessed!) and was excited to dive into this one. I borrowed the audiobook from the library and finished it within two days! The quirky characters, evocative setting, hint of magic, compelling mystery and fantastic writing made this such a delightful read. And narrator Kate Simses was the perfect voice for this story! I So Loved It.

HEATING AND COOLING BY BETH ANN FENNELLY | I would never have picked this book up if it hadn't been recommended on the podcast I mentioned earlier in this post. These essays make up 52 micro-memoirs, a term I was previously unfamiliar with. Fennelly says so much with so few words. For example:

WHY I'M SWITCHING SALONS

"We can put on a topcoat with glitter," said the manicurist. "We've noticed you like attention." 

Despite the fact that it's only 112 pages, I felt like I knew Fennelly so well by the end. She managed to capture such a wide range of emotions in a precise and relatable way. I've never read anything quite like this before, and I So Liked It. It was a pleasant way to pass an hour or so, and I love surprise gems! If I had one complaint, it would be to echo Fennelly's mother: "This book has a lot of penises, Beth Ann." 

LIFT BY KELLY CORRIGAN | After loving Corrigan's Glitter and Glue, I picked up this slim memoir. Written as a letter to her daughters, it was a short and sweet 96-page volume that I read in one sitting. On the fourth page, I couldn't help but pause to write down this passage:

"I heard once that the average person barely knows ten stories from childhood and those are based more on photographs and retellings than memory. So even with all the videos we take, the two boxes of snapshots under my desk, and the 1,276 photos in folders on the computer, you'll be lucky to end up with a dozen stories. You won't remember how it started with us, the things that I know about you that you don't even know about yourselves. We won't come back here."

I don't think I would have appreciated the truth of this statement before having kids. As I spend my days taking care of my little boy, it makes even more thankful for the millions of ways my mother served us over the years. While I would have loved for the book to be longer and a bit more developed, I still So Liked It. There's something about Corrigan's writing style that I just connect to - there's so much heart and humor in it!

THE END OF THE AFFAIR BY GRAHAM GREENE | I used to read and adore classics, but this one was never on my radar. To be honest, I'd never even heard of it until I saw it while browsing Audible one day! But when I realized it was narrated by Colin Firth (BAE), I bought it immediately. This was well written, and Firth's narration was divine (as expected), but I didn't completely love the story itself. It's a reflective story where the narrator recounts a past relationship and discusses love, faith and identity. I So Liked It, though I'm not sure that I'd read it again or push it on anyone. I appreciated the writing and thoughtfulness, but I was never emotionally invested.

NO LIMITS BY ELLIE MARNEY | OH MY GOSH, THIS BOOK! After loving Marney's Every series, I was super curious about this new release (especially because the main character is someone from that series). I downloaded a sample on my Kindle and immediately bought it when I finished the sample... and then stayed up until 1 a.m. to finish it. I could not put it down, and I don't even have the words to tell you how much I'm So Obsessed With It. I adored the characters, Marney's writing, the high-stakes plot, the intense emotions and the super swoony romance. There's depth, drama and just damn good storytelling in these pages. I can't wait to re-read!

THE MIDDLE PLACE BY KELLY CORRIGAN | After falling in love with Glitter and Glue and then liking Lift, I decided it was time to pick of Corrigan's first memoir. She writes about being diagnosed with cancer at the same time as her father. But it's not just about the cancer - it's about being in the middle place, that point in time where adulthood and childhood seem to overlap. I liked the humor and the honesty, but I just didn't love the book. I was So Okay With It, and my biggest issue was Corrigan herself. I found her so selfish and off-putting by the end, which makes me sad to say (though is a common issue with memoirs since they are, obviously, self focused). 

UNTANGLED BY LISA DAMOUR | This book, about guiding teen girls through the seven transitions into adulthood, was on my radar because of this post. My child is nowhere near the teen years (and is a boy), so this was an incredibly random book for me to read. But I read a few pages at the library and couldn't put it down! I thought this book was absolutely fascinating. I thought the research was insightful, the writing style was conversational, the tone was supportive and confident (not trying to scare you!), and the advice was so valuable and practical. Even though I had no reason to read, I So Enjoyed It. 

OUTRUN THE MOON BY STACEY LEE | I pre-ordered this book after obsessing over Under a Painted Sky, but it sat on my shelf until I spotted the audiobook on Hoopla! Narrator Emily Woo Zeller was a little annoying at first, but I got used to her (and thought she toned it down, in a good way, as the performance went on). The story itself was good! I knew very little about the San Francisco earthquake and loved learning about it. It did seem to take a long time for the plot to develop, however, and that led to a slow pace. I loved the heroine and wished for fewer secondary characters, but I'd still say I So Enjoyed It. 

What have you been reading lately?

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November 2017: Recap + On My Shelves

November 2017: Recap + On My Shelves

Dec 14, 2017

I thought I loved October, and then November came along and swept me off my feet. There were so many lovely moments and special memories made that it was hard to narrow it down to my top four below!

1. Nick Finally Home - My little boy and I did a happy dance in November because Nick finally came home from a seven-week work trip in Japan. It was entirely TOO LONG, and we missed him like crazy. We had lots of fun adventures while he was gone, but we were both so happy when he walked in the door!

2. Visiting a Georgia Landmark - While brainstorming family weekend adventures, we realized it might be fun to visit Stone Mountain. We enjoyed taking the Skyride to the top of the mountain, though it was so much colder than we expected on the day we visited! We'll have to go again in warmer weather to explore more.

3. NYC Getaway - Nick and I decided to take a somewhat spontaneous trip to New York City at the end of the month. It was our first trip together since our boy was born! We missed him so much, but we had the best few days exploring the city, seeing shows, shopping and spending quality time together. 

4. Catching Up with Friends - While in New York, I was able to grab lunch with Estelle and Magan (who just happened to be in town with her mom at the same time!). And I got to see Rachel, too, when Nick and I stopped for coffee near her workplace. It was so lovely! All that was missing was Alexa and Cassie... 

Read 19 Books | Favorites:

Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

The Winter Bride by Anne Gracie

“Never say no when you really want to say yes.”
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

“She always picked love; she always picked adventure.
To her they were one and the same.”
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han

“But remember, child, we may all have our own story and destiny,
and sometimes our seemingly bad fortune, but we're all part of a greater story too.
One that transcends the soil, the wind, time... even our own tears.
Greater stories will have their way.”
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson

 “When you don't have much, you hold on to what matters.
You hold on with both hands.”
All in Pieces by Suzanne Young

“But this is the face of a woman who’s been through a lot,
a woman who has lost a lot and held on to a lot, too.
This is the face my daughters love, the face they look to for comfort
and unconditional love, for patience. For wisdom. For guidance.”
If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

“'Why are you so quiet?' he asks. Because, you want to say,
I am a person with an interior world that you know nothing about.”
Young Jane Young by Gabrielle Zevin

 “I wished that love could be simple, that it was always given and returned in the same measure,
equally and at the same time, that all the planets aligned in a perfect way to dispel all doubts,
that it was easy to understand and never painful.”
The Heart of Betrayal by Mary E. Pearson

I barely blogged in November, but I'm not mad about it. I wasn't blogging because I was too busy reading. Haha! I did share my October 2017 recap. And then, I wrote a discussion post that I've had on my brain for months: Five Ways to Find Time to Read When You're Busy. The idea of making the time for the things that matter to me has been a huge theme for my year, so this post was particularly meaningful for me.

Um... nothing? I'm sure I read some fun posts but apparently didn't save any of them on Feedly and am now too lazy to track any down. Oops? If there's something I *need* to read, leave a link in the comments!

Favorite Album #1: reputation by Taylor Swift
DUHHHH. I was only moderately excited for this release based on the singles,
but the full album blew me away. I CANNOT STOP LISTENING. Soooo good!


Favorite Album #2: Unapologetically by Kelsea Ballerini
This was a surprise new favorite for me! I saw a few people recommend the album
and decided to give it a listen. It quickly stole my heart and became a repeat listen!

The Mindy Project, Season 6, starring Mindy Kaling - I can't believe The Mindy Project is over! I'm sad to sad goodbye to this ensemble, though I do think it was the right time to end it. I wish I'd enjoyed this season (and the previous one) more, but this character will always be a favorite and Mindy Kaling is forever a boss babe. This show is so quotable and has always made me laugh, for which I am grateful.

Anastasia, The Musical, starring Christy Altomare, Derek Klena and John Bolton - When Nick and I decided to go to New York, we knew that seeing something on Broadway was a priority. We narrowed it down to our top three, and I picked Anastasia. I'm so glad I did! It was so fun to see it on stage, and I liked the changes from the movie. It wasn't perfect, but the performances were lovely. Such a delightful experience!

Aladdin, The Musical, starring Telly Leung, Jonathan Freeman, Major Attaway and Courtney Reed - We decided at the last minute (and I legit mean day of) that we wanted to see one more show on Broadway, and Nick chose Aladdin. While I have many complaints about the people seated around us, I quite liked the show itself! The sets were so gorgeous and creative, and the Genie was hilarious. We had a lot of fun!

Brand New Books: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by J.K. Rowling, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Left | Right), and The Perfect Kiss and Marry in Haste by Anne Gracie

Book Depository: Every Move and No Limits by Ellie Marney


NYC Book Buys: Fitness Junkie by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza, Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny, I've Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella and Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

Book Outlet Black Friday: The Names They Gave Us by Emery Lord, Emmy & Oliver by Robin Benway, The Dish by Stella Newman and The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me, An Offer from a Gentleman and Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Used Bookstore Finds: Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess and Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella, Secrets of a Summer Night, It Happened One Autumn, Devil in Winter and Scandal in Spring by Lisa Kleypas, Someone to Love and Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh, Sugar Pine Trail by RaeAnne Thayne, The Trouble with Mistletoe and Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

From My Mama: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery and Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster

For Review: Can't Forget You by Rachel Lacey, Renegade Cowboy by Sara Richardson and Back Home at Firefly Lake by Jen Gilroy

NetGalley: Surprise Me by Sophie Kinsella

Audible: Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han and Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (not pictured -- oops!)

Kindle: On Second Thought by Kristan Higgins and The Long Way Home and Glass Houses by Louise Penny

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