Happy Monday everyone! I am starting the week telling you about the books that I read in June. During the month of June, I read eight books. Of those, I did read one of my Mashed Potato books, and finished a trilogy that I started earlier in the year.
That said, here is my June 2020 reading wrap-up:
Queen of Nothing by Holly Black — Three out of Five Stars
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan — Three out of Five Stars:
Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan — Five out of Five Stars
You’re Never Weird on the Internet by Felicia Day — Four out of Five Stars
Pretty Things by Janelle Brown — Five out of Five Stars:
The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin — Five out of Five Stars:
The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish — Five out of Five Stars
The Wife Stalker by Liv Constantine — Five out of Five Stars
In July, I have a hefty TBR. I am considering doing the Reading Rush, and hoping to knock out quite a few books doing that. Furthermore, between the Fourth of July and taking a personal day around my birthday, I am hoping that I get a chance to read a lot. I do hope to finish the last Taylor Jenkins Reid book that I haven’t read yet, which is called One True Loves. I also hope to read my Nesters Book Club picks as well.
When my mom first passed away, someone will said that you will never get over her death, but you will learn to live with it. At first, it was something that I just brushed off, because it was the week after she died. As time went on, I realized that she was right.
Last Sunday was my mom’s 59th birthday. This was the second birthday that I will not be spending with her. And, it still stings. It doesn’t matter that it is my second one without her there. It still serves as a vivid reminder that she is no longer with us.
I know that I am not the only one that grieves the loss of a loved one. I know so many people that have lost mothers. Or people who have lost fathers, sisters, brothers, etc. In the instance of my mom, I know that my grandmother misses her daughter every day. I miss her every day. My uncle, her nephews, niece and friends miss her as well.
But, grief can be isolating. For me, it truly comes in waves. All of last year, I focused on getting through it all – her birthday, the holidays, her funeral, etc. This year, it’s different. Now that life has slowed down in a more positive direction, I’ve had more time to think about how much it hurts that my mom is no longer with us. When I got my full-time job, all I wanted to do was take my mom out for dinner, just like I did three years ago when I got my first one.
So, that person who told me that was absolutely right. I’ll never get over it.
One of the things I hate about grieving is the simple fact that I am expected to. And, I agree there is a time when you need to come into acceptance that it happened. But, it never will not hurt. I will never apologize for grieving my mom, because I am allowed to. I lost my mom suddenly at 24. There are so many moments – both good and bad – that she will miss. I’ve come to realize that it will be a part of me, and I am allowed to feel whichever way I want to no matter what the time frame will be. I am not going to apologize for feeling my emotions. It is perfectly healthy to do so.
The perception of grief is that it goes through stages, and that many people out there don’t know what to say or do when someone in their life is grieving. My answer is this: let them grieve and feel. Many times I have held my grief in for the simple fact I was worried that it would make someone uncomfortable. I mean, I get it. What else can you say when someone is upset about their loved one being gone?
No matter what the time frame is, grief will be a part of my life. And, sometimes that means I might not want to be around people.
Sometimes, that may mean that I need to take care of myself before I help someone else is. And, that is perfectly fine. I think the biggest takeaway with dealing with the loss of my mother is learning that it is okay not to be okay, and it is okay to express that to those around me.
I’ve seen this tag on both booktube and blogs and I couldn’t resist participating in this tag. 2020 has been a great year for me in terms of reading. So far, I’ve read 58 — this is thanks to the pandemic and audiobooks. Now let’s get right to it:
Best Book You Read in 2020:
Hands down, it is The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin. This book got mixed reviews on Goodreads, but I really enjoyed it. It was romantic, but had moments that I didn’t see coming. It’s about Cecily Gardner, who goes to a bar to forget her ex. She reaches out for her cellphone to call him — only to be stopped by a man at the bar. They fall in love. All goes well, that is until he disappears in the 9/11 tragedy. It seems a little heavy, and yes it is, but it’s a book that grabbed me from the beginning.
Best Sequel You Read in 2020:
China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan. I actually read the first book in 2018 and for some reason or another, I didn’t pick it up right away. I bought the Nook version last year to read while I was in San Diego, but I never got to it. I read it this month and loved it. Just so it doesn’t take me two years to pick up the third book, I actually read it as soon as I finished the second one. I definitely thought that it was entertaining and enjoyed both of them.
A New Release That You Haven’t Read Yet But Want To:
Definitely Party of Two by Jasmine Guillory.
Most Anticipated Release for the Second Half of the Year:
Probably the two Colleen Hoover books this year and Katherine Center’s new book.
Biggest Disappointment:
Definitely the Hunger Games Prequel. I hated that book so much.
Biggest Surprise:
I think the biggest surprise was that this year I’m slowly getting into fantasy again. I’ve read the two Cursebreaker books, as well as Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare and loved both.
Favorite New Author (debut or new to you)?
Jane Green.
Newest Fictional Crush:
I don’t have many of these, but definitely Theo in the Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory. He treated Maddie like a queen and he was such a great friend to Alexa.
Newest Favorite Character:
Definitely Eliza from Eliza and her Monsters. I found her to be relatable to me, as we are both content creators and I just really liked her.
Books That Made You Cry:
Hands down Falling by Jane Green.
Books That Made You Happy:
The Heartstopper comic series by Alice Osman.
Favorite Book To Movie Adaption You’ve Seen This Year:
Hands down the After series. I flew through them in January and was obsessed with the movie.
Favorite Review That You’ve Written This Year:
N/a
The Most Beautiful Book You’ve Bought or Received so Far:
A beautiful edition of Little Women, which is one of my favorite books of all time.
What Books Do You Need to Read Before the End of the Year:
Wow, it has been a while since I’ve written a one of these. However, I have had a lot of new favorites recently, so I couldn’t resist sharing. So, here’s what I’ve been loving lately:
Current Reads:
I am currently reading to The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin, and listening to the Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish. Both books are amazing. While the Tiffany Haddish one is about her hardships and talks about abuse, it has some pretty entertaining moments. I highly recommend you listening to the audiobook if you can. Furthermore, the Emily Giffin one is about a woman who meets the love of her life only for him to get lost in 9/11. It is no surprise that I’m obsessed with this book — she is actually one of my favorite authors. Therefore, I highly recommend this one. I already halfway through and can’t put it down.
SV Decker Gold Jewelry:
Yes, I know I talk about this brand all of the time. But, there is good reason. The quality is there. I recently picked up a few new pieces, included the Celestial Ring, an opal Hamsa necklace, and a Moon Necklace. I also picked up some larger statement hoops (the size small to go with my xs ones), just in time for summer.
Overtone Hair Color:
I am starting to get some grays, but didn’t want to dye my hair just yet. Enter Overtone. It is basically a hair mask that has some dye in it, and actually helps condition your hair. I’ve used it a few times a week, and have already noticed that my gray hair has gone away. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it stains your bathtub, but if you scrub it does come out.
Now many of you may be skeptical about this, but I really have found that it’s very healthy for my hair and looks amazing. I got mine in the Espresso Brown and use the daily conditioner whenever I wash my hair to maintain it. If you don’t want to color it, you can also just try their clear repair mask too.
Pride Apple Watch Band:
Every once in a while, I really want to get a new Apple Watch band. I only buy the Apple made ones, so needless to stay, my band wardrobe is very small. In honor of Pride Month, they issued a few new rainbow bands. While the rainbow striped one was a little too much for me, I loved the Nike Edition one. It’s not only supporting the LGBTQIAA community, but I love the colors and it looks like a white watch as well. Definitely perfect for summer.
In life, we need breaks from things. That’s why we have summer vacation, lunch hours and weekends. These can be things that we enjoy, things that we dread and everything in between.
When everything with the George Floyd shooting happened, it opened a conversation that I couldn’t comfortably blog because I wanted to give those muted voices a chance to be heard.
So I took a blogging week off.
Then, I went back to work full time — which was an adjustment since the COVID-19 happened, I had gotten so used to working from home. Chances are, in my sweatpants.
Between that and dealing with some things with my mental health, I just couldn’t blog.
And, that’s okay.
I am learning not to be so hard on myself. The pandemic really helped me gain some traction on the blog. It helped connect me to new bloggers and helped me grow. And, I am so grateful for that.
I know that I will never be able to be a full time blogger. For me, this is a hobby that I enjoy. And that’s okay. These last few weeks, I’ve really realized that I need to take some time for myself. Yes, that means that everything doesn’t get done. But, if I don’t take the time to give myself some TLC, how am I expected to put in that extra oomph in my other roles.
Bottom line? At the end of the day, putting yourself first is the most important step you can take. And, if you find things that fill you with joy, you do them. And if you need to take a step back, well that’s fine too.
Note: I was not compensated for this post in any way.
Breaded chicken, broccoli and couscous
I will be the first to admit this: I actually am not so experienced in the kitchen. Since my mom died (she did all of the cooking), all I knew how to cook was pasta, pizza, and potatoes that I made in the air fryer.
What helped me a lot was going to the hot bar during Whole Foods. However, since the pandemic started, I realized something. I really need to learn how to cook, because I can’t rely on takeout forever.
Enter Hello Fresh. It is a weekly meal service that comes with at least three meals that are quick, already measured, and come with very clear instructions for a little over $60. For someone that lives alone, this equals one freshly cooked meal and lunch the next day.
So, I decided to try it.
And, I love it and do not regret it.
I have the basic of the basics for the plan — three meals for two people.
Here’s how it works: you can pick out whether you want meat or no meat in the plan. Every week, they give you a bunch of choices, and you can pick three of them — and even add in extras like garlic bread, avocados and extra meals.
Now, let’s talk cooking. Prior to this, cooking gave me anxiety. This help remedy it. It gives you a step by step guide of what you need to do. It helps that everything is measured out for you as well, since that is half of the battle.
At first, I was nervous about it. However, after following the directions, it came out amazing.
Since getting Hello Fresh, I have made tacos, burgers, and other various chicken dishes. Many of the dishes have a lot of vegetables, which makes me happy because I have been wanting to get more in my overall diet.
Overall, I highly recommend getting Hello Fresh for a number of different reasons. For once, it does help you learn how to cook. Two, for about $10 per meal, you get a lot. Three, it helps get you out of your comfort zone with food and try new things. And, if you live alone like I do, you get lunch ready for the next day as well.
It’s a win-win all around.
So, if you want to try to save some money on takeout and learn a new skill, definitely check it out.
To kick off a new feature on my blog, I am interviewing one of my oldest friends, Theresa Shine. I have actually known her since we were in middle school, so yeah, we go way back. Theresa now owns a dance studio called Shining Starz, located in Branford, Connecticut. I took a moment to chat with her about her business.
I’ve always loved dancing. I began at 2 years old and always felt inspired when hearing music to create dances and express my feelings through it. It helps me become free.
Tell me about your career thus far.
I competed in many areas of dance for 13 years & hold a dance title “Senior Miss Power of Dance- Springfield, MA 2013”. I’ve performed professionally in New York City, Norwalk and New Haven, CT. I began assistant teaching at 11 years old, which turned into teaching my own acrobatics class at my old dance studio. From there I began choreographing duos, solos, and dances for Ross Woodward School in New Haven which inspired me to open up Shining Starz!
How did Shining Starz get started?
Shining starz began as “Ross Woodward’s Shining Starz dancers”. I was asked to choreograph dances for their school’s assembly’s, mainly in hip-hop and jazz dance with tricks thrown in. The students there all inspired me to open my own dance classes separate from my old dance studio. It eventually turned into a mini dance company.
What are the services you currently offer?
We offer traditional dance classes as well as acrobatics built into most classes, unlike other studios. We also offer private lessons and strength training for athletes of other sports.
Are there any options for older dancers (adults)?
Yes! I recently did an adult acro series (so like yoga but with strength added) through Facebook live and am hoping to begin an in person class once covid calms down a bit more. We also offer adult tap and adult ballet will be coming soon!
What is your greatest joy in starting your business?
Watching your dream come to life.
Where can someone find you if they are interested in classes?
Sweet Magnolias: I started the Netflix series last Friday, and binge watched half of the series in one day. It’s a drama about a group of lifelong friends, who went through ups and downs in life, and decided to open a spa. Add in some romance, and small town gossip, and you’ll love it.
Amigurumi: This was something that has been on my bucket list for as long as I started crocheting. So, this weekend I started to do so. I have been using the book Crochet Cute Critters, and I’m loving it. I’m making an elephant and I’m proud of myself for starting a new challenging project. So far, I’ve made the body, and might need to redo the head, but I am definitely enjoying the change of pace for my projects.
Little Words Project: I’ve mentioned that I am a huge fan before, but lately I have been gravitating towards these bracelets again as reminders for self love and encouragements. They just had a huge sale this past weekend, so I may have stocked up a lot. That said, I still have been wearing some of my favorites, which are warrior, badass, and self love.
I did recently order a bunch, including: Cancer (my mom and I both are cancers), Manifest, Be Gentle, Just Relax, Namaste, Reset, Love Yourself, and Manifest. Each of those bracelets serve as a reminder for me to relax and it’s okay to reset your batteries sometimes. I highly recommend these bracelets to anyone who is going through something major.
I think we all know that I love reading. I have a lot of books, and I read an average of 2-3 books per week.
With that being said, reading can be an expensive habit. However, it doesn’t need to be. There are so many different resources that I have found that you can use to get major discounts on your books. Today, I am sharing them with you so you can learn my methods of madness and save some money — without sacrificing the quality or quantity of books that you read:
Use the library: The library is a great resource for a number of reasons. With your library card, you can access an unlimited number of books for free. And, if your local library does not have the book you want, you can request it through interlibrary loan and have it shipped to your local library. However, in the current pandemic, the libraries are still closed. But, many apps such as Libby and Overdrive offer e-books and audiobooks for you to check out. I love using Libby versus Audible because I can access audiobooks without the $15 a month price tag.
Become a Book of the Month Member: I love Book of the Month and I have been a member for almost two years. It’s $14.99 a month, and for that price, you can get one hardcover book. Normally those cost at least $20 — even if you get it from Target. What is also really cool is their add-on feature. For the price of $10, you can add up to two more books to your box — so if you can’t decide which book you want, or want another book from another month, you can do so as well. Finally, what I also love about Book of the Month is that there is so much variety. You can discover so many books that are not even released yet, and you can venture out of your comfort zone.
Ebooks: I have a Kindle and a Nook (accidentally). Ebooks as a whole are a lot less expensive. Typically, they are about 40 percent off of the regular list price, and if you subscribe to sites like BookBub, you can get emails daily of ebook deals. I have a large ebook library, but that’s because I paid less than $3 for some of the books in my collection. The initial price of one can be super expensive, but it definitely saves you both money and space in the long run.
Local Used Bookstores: I love going to my local bookstore for books, because you can find so many goodies for less. I love going there to find a backlist title, since many of the books they offer are a little older. Furthermore, most of the books are at least 50 percent off, and if you trade in your books, you can actually get a few extra dollars off as well. Another great resource is the library booksales/stores as well, as funds tend to go to your local library, and the books are cheaper than $5.
Book Outlet: Last but not least, Book Outlet is something that every book lover should check out. I love their selection of recent reads, which is something that I often struggle with other sites. And, they often have coupon codes as well, which only adds to the savings.
I hate to be the one to break it to you. We might be in a recession. That said, now is the time to think of some ways that we can cut back and save money. One of the ways that we can do so is to shop smarter. This doesn’t mean that you need to stop shopping or buying things. It means trying to put more thought in the items that you purchase.
So, how do you do that? Here are some tips to get started:
Buy quality not quantity: How many of you have tried the cheaper option — only for it to be of lesser quality of the item that you really want. Then, you end up buying the item that you were actually wanting in the first place. Instead of trying to substitute the item and take the cheap way out, just buy the item that you really want and the quality will be there. Also when you buy items of lesser quality, chances are, you’ll be replacing them more as well. Therefore, buy items that are of better quality. Some of the items that I tend to be more for the quality include: purses, jewelry, shoes, and electronics.
Know what works for you: Do you not wear a lot of a certain thing? For example, if you know that in your everyday life, you don’t wear a lot of graphic t shirts because of your work, then try not to buy that many because truth is, you’ll only be wearing them a few times a week. Therefore, you don’t need that many. The same goes for things that are formal wear, etc. If it’s something that you don’t normally wear, don’t buy much of that item.
Don’t buy trendy: I try to stick to classics most of the time. The reason why is because after a season or two, it will be off trend and not look right. The classic items on the other hand? Well, those stay in your closet for years. So try to stick to those classics. And, if there is a trend that you love, try to get it on sale.
Picture when you’re going to wear it: Whenever you buy clothes or shoes, try to think of ways that you’ll be wearing them prior to purchasing. For instance, if you’re looking at a shirt, think of three ways you would wear it. This helps you picture whether or not it will go with the rest of the clothing, and give you examples of when you are going to wear it. Then, you’ll actually wear it.
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