amarisafloria

I've been meaning to pick up Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng for a while now, and one of my goals for 2019—that I never mentioned, oops—is to read more books that include Asian representation. (If you have any recs, please let me know!) I'm a little nervous because I've heard this is a character-driven story, which I struggle with, but I want to challenge myself in this area. Note to self: it's okay to take your time!!!

Another one of my goals for 2019 is to finish series I've started, and Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo fits the bill. Apparently I really loved Shadow and Bone, which I remember approximately 10% of ...

I would love Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You by Lin-Manuel Miranda to be the first thing I read in 2019! It's the perfect little book to finish in one sitting and I can avoid the stress of getting through ~book number one~ 😌

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum is another book I am nervous for. I have absolutely no idea what it's about, but it's on this list because I'll be reading it as part of the Dragons & Tea Book Club created by Melanie and Amy!


The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker // January 15th
"One night in an isolated college town in the hills of Southern California, a first-year student stumbles into her dorm room, falls asleep—and doesn't wake up. When a second girl falls asleep, and then a third, Mei finds herself thrust together with an eccentric classmate as panic takes hold of the college and spreads to the town. A young couple tries to protect their newborn baby as the once-quiet streets descend into chaos. Two sisters turn to each other for comfort as their survivalist father prepares for disaster. Those affected by the illness, doctors discover, are displaying unusual levels of brain activity, higher than has ever been recorded before. They are dreaming heightened dreams—but of what?"

Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills // January 15th
"For Sophie, small town life has never felt small. With her four best friends—loving, infuriating, and all she could ever ask for—she can weather any storm. But when Sophie's beloved Acadia High School marching band is selected to march in the upcoming Rose Parade, it's her job to get them all the way to LA. Her plan? To persuade country singer Megan Pleasant, their Midwestern town's only claim to fame, to come back to Acadia to headline a fundraising festival. The only problem is that Megan has very publicly sworn never to return. What ensues is a journey filled with long-kept secrets, hidden heartbreaks, and revelations that could change everything—along with a possible fifth best friend: a new guy with a magnetic smile and secrets of his own."

Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love by Dani Shapiro // January 15th
"In the spring of 2016, Dani Shapiro received the stunning news that her father was not her biological father. She woke up one morning and her entire history—the life she had lived—crumbled beneath her. Inheritance is a book about secrets—secrets within families, kept out of shame or self-protectiveness; secrets we keep from one another in the name of love. It is the story of a woman's urgent quest to unlock the story of her own identity, a story that has been scrupulously hidden from her for more than fifty years, years she had spent writing brilliantly, and compulsively, on themes of identity and family history. It is a book about the extraordinary moment we live in—a moment in which science and technology have outpaced not only medical ethics but also the capacities of the human heart to contend with the consequences of what we discover."

Undying by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner // January 22nd
Trapped aboard the Undying's ancient spaceship and reeling from what they've learned there, scavenger Mia and academic Jules are plunged into a desperate race to warn their home planet of the danger humanity's greed has unleashed.

I love making goals. I've always been terrible at following them, but I think I've been making a lot of permanent changes recently that allow me to stick to them a little better. (For example, waking up at 6:00 AM to get an earlier start!) I'm still human so no day is perfect, but I'm looking at 2019 full of hope. We're finally done with wedding planning, which was a big reason for my slowdown in reading. And while I'm starting my masters program (part-time) in January and keeping my job at the library, I'll still have a more solid routine than I did this year.

Here are some of my bookish and blogging goals for 2019, which you will (hopefully) be hearing all about throughout the upcoming year.

Read 100 books.
This will include graphic novels and comics, so I think I can swing it. I know I'm being *very* optimistic, but I also want to challenge myself since I didn't set any goals in 2018. In previous years, I wanted to make reading from my shelves a priority—but the problem was feeling too restricted. I had good intentions: read what I own and reduce the number of unread books, but I think that's what made me avoid reading. So for 2019, these 100 books can come from anywhere. I want my focus to be on reading what I want to read in the moment and not forcing myself to read something just to say I've read it.

Go through all the books I own and get rid of the ones I don't plan to read.
I purchased A LOT of books from Book Outlet right after I discovered their irresistible prices a couple of years ago, and I've only really read a handful of them. Since then, my reading tastes have changed and I'm a lot pickier about the books I pick up. I don't want to keep things I'm not going to get to, so I have to be a lot more harsh and realistic in 2019. I know I spent my money on these books, which is why a part of me is still holding on—but it's been done and if I *really* want to read something I've given away, I can always borrow it from the library.

Finish five series.
There are SIXTEEN (yes, you read that correctly) completed series I'm currently in the middle of... so it's time to start cleaning up this mess, lol.

For every book I read, share a photo on Instagram and tweet something to document it.
I almost deleted this because I highly doubt I'll be able to keep it up, but I really want to get better at updating my social media accounts. Plus, I'd really love to look back at my year in December and have a visual representation of what I've read. So I'm considering it to be an investment for my future self.

Publish at least one post on amarisafloria.com each week.
I'm always on and off with this blog because I don't want to be judged for my grammar/writing "skills" (or lack of) but I'm throwing my hands up and saying WHATEVER. It's hard work and it takes me *forever* to write one post, but it serves as a reading journal for me and I know I'm going to appreciate it in the long run.

Fix broken links/images and update formatting on all posts.
I've been working through this at a snail's pace, I don't even remember where I left off ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Check in with these goals every month in a recap post.
This one is a little meta, but I've found that I'm much more on top of my goals when I'm constantly reviewing and checking myself.

THIS SONG WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE BY LEILA SALES // 3 STARS
I've been sitting with my thoughts on this one for a while now, and I still can't pinpoint exactly how I feel ... This Song Will Save Your Life follows Elise, a girl who contemplates suicide after being rejected by her classmates and bullied at school for too long. I love that Elise discovered an underground dance club and was able to, unexpectedly, find friendship and acceptance there, but I had a hard time empathizing with her throughout the entire book. She was mean to everyone, including the people who cared about her, and she didn't initiate conversation with anyone but expected them to do so with her. We know she wants to be popular and liked, but she would make fun of the girls she chose to sit with at lunch, even when they tried to include her in their conversations ... that just didn't sit right with me. I think I was just really irritated by Elise's attitude and personality, but the story was okay and it read fast.

UNEARTHED BY AMIE KAUFMAN AND MEAGAN SPOONER // 3.5 STARS
Aside from the slow pace, I really liked this "Indiana Jones in space" story. The beginning drew me in immediately, with the serendipitous introduction of two totally different characters on the planet Gaia: Mia, a scavenger looking for desirable alien tech she can sell, and Jules, a scholar hoping to study the mysterious artifacts left behind. As much as I enjoyed the mystery behind all the puzzles and what the characters were in this foreign place for, I still felt a bit underwhelmed. You can tell that everything was well thought out down to the details, but I was missing the thrill and heart-pounding excitement until the last couple of pages. I also thought it could've done without the romance, but I didn't hate it. Unearthed would do really well as a movie, and the set up for book two is SO GOOD. There's no way you won't want to read its sequel once you finish that last chapter. Luckily, I don't have to wait that long—Undying comes out at the end of January!

A VERY LARGE EXPANSE OF SEA BY TAHEREH MAFI // 4.5 STARS
A Very Large Expanse of Sea sends such a strong and honest message—every time I try to come up with something to say, I delete it right away because it doesn't convey how good this book is. (Currently beating myself up for not writing anything down after I finished reading it. But here is a small list of things I loved.) I loved reading from Shirin's perspective, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who is TIRED of being stereotyped. While this is a big theme, it doesn't swallow up the whole story. It affects Shirin's life, but it doesn't define her. We get to see her breakdancing with her brother, talking to a cute boy on AIM, interacting with her parents, etc. We see her life in 360. I *love* that Tahereh Mafi writes these really cute moments without being too cheesy or over the top. And I love that Shirin is willing to own up to her mistakes regardless of the circumstances.


I also read The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill in November, but I already talked about it earlier this month in my Gettin' Graphic post! And I'm saving Snow White: A Graphic Novel by Matt Phelan to discuss in a future feature ... 😏

Y'all, she's back! I first introduced Gettin' Graphic back in 2014 (yes, *four* years ago) and never continued on with it. Story of my life. But I'm starting this up again because 1) there are so many good graphic novels and comics I've been meaning to pick up and share with you guys, plus 2) I want to have a separate place to highlight these differently-formatted books I'm reading. (I was going to call 'em a different "genre," but the internet says that's a no-no. Got it.)

If you have any graphic novel or comic recommendations, please let me know below!



THE TEA DRAGON SOCIETY BY KATIE O'NEILL

Release Date: October 31, 2017
Publisher: Oni Press
Format: Hardcover // 72 pages
Rating: 5 stars

From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever After comes THE TEA DRAGON SOCIETY, the beloved and charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons. After discovering a lost tea dragon in the marketplace, Greta learns about the dying art form of tea dragon care-taking from the kind tea shop owners, Hesekiel and Erik. As she befriends them and their shy ward, Minette, Greta sees how the craft enriches their lives—and eventually her own.

The Tea Dragon Society follows a girl named Greta who returns a lost Tea Dragon to Hesekiel, a tea shop owner, and ends up learning how to take care of them. These Tea Dragons grow tea leaves out of their horns and antlers "that, when brewed correctly, has magical properties." It was such a lovely reading experience! I want to frame every page in this book and put it up on my walls. The art is *gorgeous* and the coloring matches the story and atmosphere so well. Even if you picked this up to flip through and look at the illustrations, it would be worth it. There are a few pages at the end of this graphic novel that describes each Tea Dragon and some other fun tidbits, which I loved referencing whenever we were introduced to something new. The ending feels like it's open to a sequel, so I'm crossing my fingers that it'll happen one day!

Also, side note/a funny thing that happened while I was reading this: I was reminded I forgot my tea downstairs, lol.



everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by Jomny Sun
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Format: Hardcover // 304 pages
Rating: 4 stars

Through this story of a lost, lonely and confused alien finding friendship, acceptance, and love among the creatures of Earth, we will all learn how to be a little more human. And for all of us earth-bound creatures here on this planet, we can all be reminded that sometimes, it takes an outsider to help us see ourselves for who we truly are.

I don't know how else to describe everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too besides sweet and innocent. The main character, Jomny, is sent to earth—or, as aliebns call it, "Earbth"—to find out facts about humans. (The funny thing is that he actually doesn't encounter any humans, but that's besides the point of this story.) It's basically a book presenting many truths (and some ... could-be truths?) about life in a funny and simple way. The illustrations, and even misuse of grammar, perfectly matched the feel of the story, but it wasn't anything *spectacular.* I do think that this is a hit or miss, depending on your style of humor, so I'm happy to say I was on the side of enjoying it.

Another side note: I'm pretty sure my auto-correct is all out of whack after typing all my favorite parts down in my Notes app 😂

Joe and I started watching Limitless (the TV show) together, and I have to say it's really good! He actually watched it by himself first, but he knew I'd like it so now he's re-watching it with me. Each episode is very packed, in a good way. Case in point: I thought we were on the last episode of the season but when I went to check, it was only the SIXTH one. It follows this guy named Brian Finch who is given a drug that allows him to use every neuron in his brain. It has deadly side effects, which he begins to experience, but a mysterious senator gives him an immunity shot—with strings attached, of course. He ends up working with the FBI, who gives him more of this drug to continue taking so he can help them, but they have no idea how he's immune. So I guess they're trying to figure out why he can handle this drug (and I say "I guess" because this part doesn't take up too much of the storyline, although I have a feeling it's going to blow up toward the end of this season) while Brian is solving cases with them. If you like White Collar, I think you'd like this show. It's a shame they cancelled it after the first season though. I guess I'll find out why soon?

I finally visited my local library! (The one I work at is farther away.) It takes me about twenty minutes to get there by foot, but I don't mind at all because the road there is actually a nice trail. It was a surprise—a good one—because you can't get this in the city. Which I've lived in my whole life. Normally, you have to take a car if you want to get somewhere like this. But now I can walk there! Add that to my happy list.

I tried to work on cleaning and organizing my desktop computer this past week in preparation for 2019 (yes, I am a "new year, new me" kind of person) but not much happened because it's littered with stuff I've saved to read. Mostly recent, but some from literally *years* ago. So it's not exactly unorganized ............ I guess the new goal now is to READ STUFF I'VE SAVED IN A TIMELY MANNER.

My reading is slowly getting back to normal. THE SLUMP IS LEAVING ME. I started a little bit of The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine and already in the first chapter, it feels like a fairy tale. Of course, I haven't continued since lol ... but at least I am thinking of the book positively, and I *am* looking forward to diving back in. But I finally have the Harry Potter boxed set, so I gotta get to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix first!!!

• Finish reading James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl and start Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling
• Start writing wedding thank you cards (I've really been putting this off ...)
• Finish moving all photos from phone to computer to prep for end-of-year posts

• Rachel from Hello, Chelly shared some of her favorite underrated YA contemporary romance stories, which includes some of my favorites too.
• Madalyn from Novel Ink shared book gift guides based on Hogwarts houses! Here are the ones for Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Hufflepuff and Gryffindor coming soon :)

Let it Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle always ends up on my December TBR because I never get around to picking it up! My intentions are there, but I always forget about it because no one talks about it anymore.

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine is a high priority read because it's related to a project I'm working on for this blog! I don't want to give away too much since it's in the works, but you can probably figure it out if you track what I'm reading for these next couple of months.

I'm diving back into the magical world of Harry Potter, starting with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling because it's one of three I haven't re-read yet. I have a little bit more time this year, so I'm going to try and participate in Harry Christmas to You! I'm excited to re-watch the movies (my husband put the collection on our wedding registry and one of my friends, a fellow Harry Potter fan, gifted it to us!) and maybe even watch the musicals for the first time ☺️

I've left a lot of series hanging this year, so I need to start finishing them! Out of all the ones I'm in the middle of, I think I'm most likely to read Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han. I loved To All the Boys I've Loved Before and P.S. I Love You so much, there's no doubt I'll love this series ender too.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is part of another project/reading challenge that I'm getting a head start on. There are a ton of stories from Mr. Dahl's collection I haven't read yet—including Matilda (yes I heard you screaming from over here)—so I am going to try and read all of the ones I can find in 2019!


Queen of Air and Darkness by Cassandra Clare // December 4th
I've only read City of Bones, the first book in this ever-growing world, but I wanted to share this anyway!

Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton // December 4th
"For fans of television shows Black Mirror and Westworld, this compelling, mind-bending novel is a twisted look into the future, exploring the lengths we'll go to remake ourselves into the perfect human specimen and what it means to be human at all."

Sorry it took me so long to get this up! I was waiting for some of the books to come in from the library so I could take a picture 😅

Everybody, Always by Bob Goff // 2 stars
I read this (via audiobook) under the impression that Bob Goff wanted to share how knowing Jesus has impacted him to love people, but the entire thing felt like a "humble brag." Yes, he gave a lot of good examples of how he has shown love to those who don't deserve it, but he never directly talks about WHY. It's obvious he's a Christian, so I think it's okay to hold him to this standard. It seems like he wrote Everybody, Always as an encouragement to the general audience and not just Christians, but ... I don't know. I don't think you can call this a "Christian" book and not talk about the things that make you a Christian. He might talk a lot about what Jesus said, but none of it is stuff mentioned in the Bible? I'm still learning to read with discernment, so this whole thing might sound confusing. But I found this review that I agree with, so maybe it will help you too. (It is the only post I've read so I can't say I agree with the rest of his blog, but solely because I haven't looked at anything else.)

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab // 5 stars
This may be a middle grade but I think anyone, no matter your age, can read City of Ghosts and love it! I didn't take many notes while reading—and I do, in detail, with every book I read—so that can serve as proof for how immersive and good this book is. As an adult (yep, still strange to call myself one) there isn't too much of a mystery. It's easy to see where the story goes, but the atmosphere and journey of getting there is what makes it so enjoyable.



You by Caroline Kepnes // 3.5 stars
Considering the fact that this was a book written in a stalker's perspective, I was surprisingly not as creeped out as I thought I'd be. I felt pity more than disgust, which is probably what makes this story so interesting. We only know Beck, the love interest, through Joe's thoughts and observations, and those were definitely biased so we never get the full story. I think this is why I felt so detached. I wanted to know what was going on inside Beck's head, which is kind of ironic because "you," the reader, ARE Beck! You is a really twisted book, so approach cautiously. It was also too sexual for me (and I had no idea it would be) so that's something to take note of if you're considering this read.

The Art of Losing by Lizzy Mason // 5 stars
Yet another character-driven story that I absolutely loved. This is a book about sisters, family, more-than-just-second chances, and forgiveness. It captured addiction and explored relationships really well, with flawed characters but ones you will find yourself understanding deeply. The Art of Losing comes out on February 19, 2019 and I highly recommend picking up a copy! (This is where I write "review to come" but putting it out there might be the end of it lol. So ... we'll leave it at that!)

None Like Him by Jen Wilkin // 5 stars
EXCELLENT book on the attributes of God, how He is different from us humans, and why that's a good thing.


I also read everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too by Jomny Sun, but I'll talk about that in a future Gettin' Graphic post! It's coming back, y'all!

I'm always looking through and editing my Goodreads shelves, trying to give myself reasons to talk about the books I've read. So I thought today, with the new year approaching very soon, would be a good time to share the series I've decided to stop reading.

It's time to move on to better things, says the girl who has SO MUCH TROUBLE putting that into practice. I hate the feeling of leaving a book unfinished. In 2015, I read a third of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, put it down, and picked it back up EIGHT MONTHS LATER. Just couldn't let it go, even though it initially put me in a reading slump.

I've learned to be pickier about the books I choose to read since I only have so much time in one day. My tastes have definitely changed since I started book blogging, and I've gotten to know myself and my preferences much better after trial and error.

Here are the nine series I've started but will not continue:


YOU SERIES BY CAROLINE KEPNES
The first book, You, stands strongly on its own, and I'm not invested enough in Joe's story to continue on.

THE TIME QUINTET BY MADELEINE L'ENGLE
I read A Wrinkle in Time back in March to prepare for its movie release (I shared some thoughts in my Books I Read in March post) and sadly didn't enjoy it like most people have. A lot of the hidden themes didn't make sense to me—I can't imagine how it would be for younger readers. Perhaps I just enjoy books that don't leave things open-ended? Also, I still haven't seen the movie ... 👀

THE REIGN OF SHADOWS DUOLOGY BY SOPHIE JORDAN
There wasn't anything I extremely disliked in Reign of Shadows, I just have no interest in following this story anymore. I feel this way about a lot of the books on this list—they're not downright dreadful, I just have many more better books to read.


THE MADMAN'S DAUGHTER TRILOGY BY MEGAN SHEPHERD
I listened to the first book in this series and cringed the whole way through ... the narrator would make these raspy/growling voices, which added to the atmosphere but definitely gave me second-hand embarrassment. In addition, there were bad cases of insta-love, AND a love triangle. (I normally don't mind either, but only if they're done well.) I can't decide if it would've been different had I read the book instead, but either way I'm okay with leaving this series behind.

THE ARCANA CHRONICLES BY KRESLEY COLE
This is another series I started by listening to the first book, Poison Princess, and I felt the same way as I did while listening to The Madman's Daughter. I don't know how to describe these characters in a coherent way—all I can say is: I can't even. It might just be the way the narrators spoke, but even so I don't want to read on because the "romance" was bad. And I think paranormal isn't for me so I should probably stay away. This is why I no longer read fiction via audiobook, lol.

THE NIGHTSONG TRILOGY BY SOPHIE JAFF
Love is Red was the featured book during my internship at HarperCollins Publishers three years ago. We got to see the cover process, its publicity package, and even meet the author. It was an experience I'll always be grateful for, but still I did not like this book. It was poetic, and creepy, and fantastical, and thrilling—the list could go on and on. I have no problems with books that can be categorized under multiple genres (Ryan Graudin is the best at this!) but it felt more like she couldn't decide what to write.



A WICKED THING SERIES BY RHIANNON THOMAS
A Wicked Thing takes place right after the Sleeping Beauty we all know wakes up from true love's kiss. But what happens after? I'm all about fairy tale retellings (thank you, Disney) but the execution for this story was, I hate to say, disappointing. Not much happens because Aurora is locked up in her room most of the time, and the lack of action/plot made it dull.

THE MAZE RUNNER SERIES BY JAMES DASHNER
I read the first book in this series, The Maze Runner, a LONG time ago on recommendation from one of my college housemates who loved it way before the movie was even announced. It's just been too many years since I've been in that world, and now there are many more dystopian stories I'd rather pick up. I could probably be convinced to watch the rest of the movies (if you've seen them, please tell me if they're worth it or not) but I'm okay with not knowing what happens next. Maybe I'll look on Wikipedia if I get curious 😂

THE SALT & STORM DUOLOGY BY KENDALL KULPER
Salt & Storm is another book with details that escape me. (I did, however, read it four years ago so I don't feel too bad about that.) I know the story was somewhat interesting because I finished it, but it moved slowly so it was hard to get through. Like I mentioned earlier, my reading tastes have changed—or rather, I know the type of books I like now, so I'm okay skipping out on Drift & Dagger.

WARCROSS BY MARIE LU // 4 STARS
I found this a little hard to get into, which makes sense because there's a lot of world-building involved. And I want the backstory and all the details, but the plot seems to get lost in it, if that makes sense? I decided to stick with it because of all the good reviews, and thankfully it got better. Warcross was entertaining overall, especially the scenes where Emika and her teammates are battling it out together. The romance wasn't convincing to me, although I am curious to see what their relationship will be like in the next book. The last third went by quickly and I will definitely be reading Wildcard since I'm sure there'll be more action in this duology ender. I'm looking forward to seeing this team work together to take down the baddie.

P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU BY JENNY HAN // 5 STARS
This sequel follows the events that happened in To All the Boys I've Loved Before, which is about a girl named Lara Jean who faces the consequences of her secret love letters after they get mysteriously mailed out. If you want to know what I thought about this series starter, you can read my full review here!

My reading experience was strange, at least with the first 80-ish pages, because I felt like we weren't getting any new information. Then I realized I knew what was going on because it was in the MOVIE. I guess they included the beginning portion of this second book and I had no idea. But it didn't change my feelings—I still think P.S. I Still Love You is a solid sequel. I don't want to say too much because of how things ended in TATBILB, so I'll just leave you with three things: 1) Lara Jean still brings it with her naïve and sassy internal monologue, 2) The Song Covey family is still a big part of the story, and 3) I loved that it was a proper reflection of how tough and complex relationships (both friendship and romantic) are.

THE POET X BY ELIZABETH ACEVEDO // 4 STARS
I picked up The Poet X because it made this year's National Book Awards longlist under the Young Adult Literature category, and now I know why. It's a powerful story about family differences, growing up, and finding yourself, and you can tell how heavy the content is from the way Xiomara writes her heart into these poems. The Poet X is a great example of "show, don't tell" and it's really impressive that this story says SO MUCH in such a small amount of words. I don't normally read poetry or books written in verse because I'm afraid I won't "get it" but because I liked this one, I'd love to hear your recommendations.

BELIEVE ME BY J.P. DELANEY // 4 STARS
Believe Me was a roller coaster of a story. If you didn't get whiplash, did you even read this book??? The entire thing was pretty much plot twist after plot twist. (Which I liked, even if some of it was doing too much.) You think you have something figured out, but then you turn the page and J.P. Delaney's probably like: 😏😏😏This was an intense, creepy, and dark read—definitely my kind of thing. Side note, and pretty much irrelevant to my mini review but something I still wanted to share: I felt personally offended because the main character called Elf a "terrible movie." Okay Claire, sure.

Welcome back to another installment of The Weekend Line-Up! I haven't written one of these in literally more than two years, but I'm going to try and bring it back. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, this is a feature I introduced in October 2014 that highlights what I'm planning to watch, read, and listen to during the upcoming weekend.


TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE
Two of my best girl friends are coming over tomorrow to have lunch and hang out, so we'll most likely watch this in the background while we chat and paint our nails. So reminiscent of our college days, haha. We've all seen TATBILB separately, but agree that it's worth watching again! I do admit that I cringed at some parts the first time I watched it (I just have this GIF playing in my head of Peter Kavinsky saying, "leggo" over and over again lol) but I get second-hand embarrassment REALLY easily so yes, I know I'm being a little dramatic. Since then, I've seen it twice in full—something that I rarely do with anything—and I love it so much. I hope it has always paved (or will pave!) a way for more YA rom-coms to be adapted. I really want to see The Start of Me and You by Emery Lord as a movie!

KELSEA BALLERINI'S UNAPOLOGETICALLY
I've been meaning to give Kelsea Ballerini's 2017 album a listen for a while now, so thank you to Spotify for featuring "High School" on my Discover Weekly playlist! Country pop is a genre I love, but I never seek it out on my own. I guess I just don't know where to start looking? She sounds a lot like Taylor Swift, especially in "Roses" (both vocally and style-wise) but is still different in a lot of ways. First impression favorites: "Get over Yourself," "In Between," "High School," and "Unapologetically."


THE WIDOW BY FIONA BARTON
This book has been really slow going (and by that I mean I'm reading only ten pages a day. Not to say that ten pages is "too little," but that I normally read a lot more if I'm interested.) It's not exactly boring, but it seems like all the ~suspenseful~ events happened before the book started and the past is being revealed chapter by chapter. It's more character- than plot-driven, and I normally like my mysteries to be IN THE MOMENT. Like more Gone Girl than The Couple Next Door. Although Gone Girl was pretty slow at first too ... but that's a different conversation for another day 😅

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE BY JANE AUSTEN
I started watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries after Sam from Thoughts on Tomes talked about classics she wanted to see modern adaptations of, and I'm hooked. After the first couple of episodes, I really wanted to read Pride and Prejudice so I just pulled it off my shelf and dove in. It's been on my bucket list for ages now, and I even added tabs because I was supposed to start it last year. Studying classics is not something I've learned to do, so it's quite intimidating to be reading a well-loved story but the videos are a great guide. I'm about to start chapter three, aka I've only read eight pages 😂

THE NEW GIRL BY R.L. STINE
I had the sudden urge to read an R.L. Stine book, but I didn't choose Goosebumps! I actually found out about the series re-boot earlier this week so I wanted to start with book one. When I was in elementary/middle school, I loved the "choose your own adventure" series (I just looked it up and it's called "Give Yourself Goosebumps.") I would borrow those books from the library but I had to hide it from my mom because she didn't like it when I read or watched anything horror-related. I have this vivid memory of me hanging out on my parents' bed (it was the furthest place from the kitchen/living room) reading one of those books, haha ... anyway, I impulsively started The New Girl this morning and it's not creepy at all! I'm only about 35 pages in so things could change.

Joseph and I got married in San Ramon, California earlier this August, and I'm so happy to be sharing some of the photos from that day with all of you! Enjoy 🤗


Joe picked out my engagement ring all on his own! I knew I wanted something unique with a vintage feel, and he did an excellent job. I went with a simple wedding band so it could stand out.


This wooden bridge was the perfect "first look" location, but my gown and veil got caught every time I moved. Luckily, you can't see any of the splinters on me but it was hard to ignore.


I took this seating chart idea from a wedding featured on Ruffled and just changed up the colors. The rose gold wall grid is from Amazon (I originally bought a larger one from Urban Outfitters but it was delivered bent out of shape) and I used the Uni Posca Paint Marker in 0.7mm to write all the guest names. It splatters a bit, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you're going for that effect. For the table names (they're all musicals!) I used the Uni Posca Paint Marker in 1.8~2.5mm.

It took me so long to write everything—I had to start over many times because the guest names weren't centered (and I ended up allowing some of them to be off-centered because I was getting tired)—but I love how it looks together. I wish it was hung from the ceiling instead of laying on the easel, but don't ask me how that would work 😂

The table cards were supposed to be displayed in little log holders (you can kind of see them in the picture below) but I think it would've been hard for our guests to read. Either way, the tables still look good!


This doughnut wall was another DIY project that Joe helped me with! We purchased all of our supplies from Home Depot (white pegboard + dowels) and sawed the dowels into pegs at the store. Joe's groomsmen were at our house the day before our wedding to help us finish preparing and they smoothed the pegs with sandpaper. We're so blessed to call them friends—they didn't complain one bit and kept asking, "what's next?" Our day wouldn't have been as beautiful without them.


I had to tuck my veil between my elbow and body right before walking down the aisle because there was a rose bush nearby, and I forgot to release it! I was trying too hard to keep from crying. (I still cried.) That's why you still see it sandwiched in the picture (left) above. It doesn't look too obvious though ... hopefully :p


If you're wondering what I'm saying in the picture (left) above ... "LOOK! The doughnuts!" If you recall that beautiful wall of doughnuts—there wasn't a single one left when we walked into the reception so we didn't get to see it in person! Luckily, our day-of coordinator asked us which ones we wanted so she could save us some. Bless her soul. But the sad part is that I didn't even finish mine 😭


I think the photo above (left) is my most favorite one from this set! Everything looks and feels natural, which is so hard to achieve, strangely enough, when people are watching.


One of our friends made our cake (you can see her other creations by searching @kneadandnourish on Instagram!) and she's actually in this picture. Well, half of her is 😆


Joe's sister was so kind as to choreograph our first dance. To stay with the musical theme, I chose "Can I Have This Dance" from High School Musical 3. And it turned out so well, our guests loved it! I can't wait to see what it looks like on video. We both agree that this was our best run-through, which is such a relief. What you don't see pictured: so many sweat and tears (from me) while practicing our dance. There was no rehearsal I came away with dry eyes. Neither of us are dancers, but Joe caught on a lot quicker than I did so his patience was definitely tested. If you truly want to know how much you love your partner, learn a dance together ... haha.

I was originally going to keep my gown on for the whole night, but practicing our dance was already difficult wearing workout clothes. So I bought this dress from BHLDN four days before! (I do not recommend last minute shopping.) It took one night to ship and my mom helped me alter the bottom since it was too long for me. Luckily, the material made it easy to do so with scissors. But my maid of honor had to trim more off the night before since I kept stepping on it during our last minute practice.


Okay, but why is my left hand like that? 😂

WHAT TO ALL THE BOYS I'VE LOVED BEFORE IS ABOUT
"Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren't love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she's written. One for every boy she's ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean's love life goes from imaginary to out of control."

FAMILY OVER EVERYTHING
Right from the start, we see how close Lara Jean and her sisters are. Maybe it's because of their mother's passing, but the three of them hold tightly to each other despite some annoyances. Lara Jean would do anything for her older sister, Margot, and is devastated that she's flying to Scotland for school. But when she leaves, Lara Jean knows she needs to step into her shoes to be the older sister figure and take care of her younger sister, Kitty. I love that this wasn't a book that just focused on the main character and her love interest—her family was involved and played significant roles.

LARA JEAN'S VOICE
I started to read To All the Boys I've Loved Before in May 2015 but put it down after 30 pages because of two reasons: 1) it didn't capture my attention as well as I had hoped (in the moment) and 2) I thought Lara Jean sounded too childish. But this time around, I felt like I was reading with a different lens. Her stream of consciousness really highlighted her personality and made the story a little more light-hearted and entertaining. Who am I to say how she should be acting and talking at her age? Maybe there are circumstances in her life that cause her to be that way. And I don't doubt that there are some sixteen-year-olds who can relate to Lara Jean. Looking back, I see a lot of myself in her. I, too, preferred staying home, I didn't go out to parties, and I DEFINITELY did not have experience with boys.

LAST NON-SPOILER THOUGHTS
This is the first book in a long time (or ever?) that made me want to start over from the beginning after I finished the last page. To All the Boys I've Loved Before was more than just a romance—it included so much about familial love and just navigating the realities of high school. It was fun, and the characters were perfectly imperfect. Boys are not always gonna be as swoon-worthy and precious as we hope. And I forgot to mention all the Korean traditions and cultural elements! I love that it's included in this story but it's not the focus of it. Lara Jean must face the consequences of her exposed love letters and she just happens to be half-Korean.

























I've never known Margot to chicken out before, but I suppose in matters of the heart, there's no predicting how a person will or won't behave. (p. 11)

"Okay, okay. You know I didn't mean it like that. I just mean that you should give people a chance to know you." Josh points the remote control at me and says, "If people knew you, they would love you." He sounds so matter-of-fact. Josh, you break my heart. And you're a liar. Because you know me, you know me better than almost anybody, and you don't love me. (p. 223)

He's expecting me to say yes. I want to say yes, but I don't want to be with a boy whose heart belongs to somebody else. Just once, I want to be somebody's first choice. (p. 311)

Around three a.m. I throw away Peter's notes. I delete the picture of him from my phone; I delete his number. I think that if I just delete him enough, it will be like none of it ever happened and my heart won't hurt so badly. (p. 328)


LARA JEAN AND PETER'S HALLWAY KISS
AHHHHHH. I totally cringed while I was reading this scene but also it was kind of entertaining?! Lara Jean was completely out of her element. I really wanted to see this play out on screen, but alas ... ALSO I can't believe she said "thank you" AND PETER SAID "YOU'RE WELCOME." AND THEN IT BECOMES A THING. CUE "START OF SOMETHING NEW" FROM HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL.

PETER DITCHES HIS AUDI TO DRIVE A MINIVAN FOR KITTY
I LOVE the relationship between Peter and Kitty. Almost more than I love Lara Jean and Peter together, to be honest. I love that he calls her Katherine!!! And I love that their love for each other is suffocating at times 😂

MORE THOUGHTS ON PETER KAVINSKY
I had mixed feelings about Peter throughout the entire book—I'm pretty sure I only liked him when he was interacting with Kitty lol. He didn't really treat Lara Jean that well, but I GET IT because he's been explicit from the beginning on how he feels about Gen. It's not a secret to anyone and he's being honest, but I still felt terrible for Lara Jean ... no girl wants to be second place. But when they're together and Peter's not talking about Gen, I love the dynamics between them. They work so well together! Peter is used to girls swooning over him and in comes Lara Jean, someone who will not and does not take his crap.

A THEORY
PETER KAVINSKY WILL 100% GIFT LARA JEAN THAT GOLD HEART LOCKET FROM HIS MOM'S ANTIQUE SHOP BY THE END OF P.S. I STILL LOVE YOU.

THE ANTIQUE SHOPPING SCENE
Yes to this whole thing. He woke up early and brought her donuts!!! He negotiated with the man so Lara Jean could have the one reindeer ornament!!! It was such a sweet and carefree moment.

I CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE CAUSE I WAS READING THE LAST CHUNK SO QUICK
I also really loved everything that happened on Halloween and that whole scene with the dancing and Christmas cookies but it all blurs together in my mind so I cannot put my feels into words. AND THEN THAT ENDING HAPPENED ...

Joe and I got married the first weekend of August!!! I'm going to try my best to put up a post detailing everything. But right now, I'm so relieved to not have to think about anything wedding-related anymore. (Aside from our thank you cards, which will probably take us a long while to write ... but we have time!)

Hi friends! So much has happened during these past couple of months ... I didn't read a single page for at least six weeks 😳 But before I tell you all where I've been and what I've been up to, here's what I plan to read in September! I know it's a lofty goal, but I'm itchin' for some really good reads :)




Warcross by Marie Lu // Alexa has been non-stop championing this book, so I know it'll be an excellent read!

Vicious by V.E. Schwab // I always wait so long to read books I KNOW are gonna be good ... but I haven't been spoiled yet, so I better get to it before it happens 😅

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor // This one is going to be a doozy ...

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak // I tried reading this one a couple of years ago and it may have just been bad timing, but I couldn't get through it. 100% willing to try it again, since *so* many people love it.



Believe Me by J.P. Delaney // I didn't get to my early copy from NetGalley because July was so busy for me, but I still want to read and review it. The Girl Before, Delaney's debut novel, was really good.

Contagion by Erin Bowman // I've read an embarrassingly low number of sci-fi/space books, and I told y'all I wanted to read this one soon ... note to self: MAKE IT HAPPEN. I can't be going around, telling people I love sci-fi only having read a handful on the subject 🙄

Not Even Bones by Rebecca Schaeffer // This one is a maybe (hopefully) since I'm not sure I'll be able to get it from my library in time. I won't be bummed to push this one back to October though—I think it'll be the perfect read for Halloween since it's on the dark side.



City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab // Another Schwab book I'm hoping to get to. I've heard all sorts of good things from Emma and Madalyn at Novel Ink!

Midnight in the Piazza by Tiffany Parks // I'm working at a public library (more on that soon!) and have been particularly interested in the middle grade reads, so I wanted to try and pick a book to read each month—not based on reviews or anything I see about it online, but just by the blurb (and I'll be honest, the cover too.) Right when I saw "ROME" in the summary, I knew this would be my September choice. It was one of the cities my husband and I visited during our honeymoon!

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers // To be honest, I'm not too interested in this book ... but Mary Poppins Returns is coming out in December and it's a MUSICAL. That LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA is in. So sign me up 😂

I saw this over on Morgan's blog last month and thought it would be a lot of fun to share the details of my ever-growing TBR pile. (If you didn't know, TBR stands for "to be read!") This tag was created by Rachel from A Perfection Called Books and Dana from Dana Square.

How do you keep track of your TBR pile?
I organize everything through Goodreads. I have a shelf for all the physical books I own but haven't read yet, yearly releases (2014 through 2019) that I eventually want to get to, the books I must get to this year, series to start, and series to continue. There is no way I could remember all of these without Goodreads!

Is your TBR mostly print or ebook?
Aside from the one or two ebooks I received for free, it's all print! (I just checked and I actually have five: The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows, Voice of Gods by Eleanor Herman, Ignite by Lily Paradis, This Night So Dark by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, and Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout. I will probably only read two of these, lol.) If I really want to read a book from my TBR that I don't own, I usually try and borrow the ebook from Overdrive.

How do you determine which book to read from your TBR next?
Oh man, where do I even start? I have a document of all the 2018 releases I want to read, and ideally I try and read an author's backlist (if they have one) before their newest book is published. I rarely stick to this though, because I will read whatever my heart desires 😂Usually, I'll also try and read a book before the movie/TV show adaptation comes out. But more recently, I've been focusing on new releases!

What book has been on your TBR the longest?
Legend by Marie Lu. I added it on July 6, 2013 🙈


What is the last book you added to your TBR?
I added four books to Goodreads on June 4, 2018: Serious Moonlight by Jenn Bennett, A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer, Dry by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman, and The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill. (The Tea Dragon Society is the only one that has been published.) For my physical TBR, I purchased I See You by Clare Macintosh yesterday at Half Price Books!

What book is on your TBR strictly because of its beautiful cover?
No book makes it on my TBR if 1) the story doesn't sound good *or* 2) it doesn't have good reviews. But if I must choose, I have to mention The Tea Dragon Society again. I don't know what it's about, but Alexa from Alexa Loves Books has spoken many good things and the art is *so* lovely.

What is a book on your TBR that you never plan on actually reading?
I have an exclusive shelf on Goodreads titled "on my radar," which includes all the books I'm on the fence about but could still possibly end up reading. I added Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde to my list in 2013 but now that I think about it, I'll probably never get around to picking it up. I don't want to remove it though :x

What is an unpublished book on your TBR that you're excited for?
The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord, 100%!!! The Start of Me and You is one of my all-time favorite books!



What is a book on your TBR that basically everyone has read except you?
I will easily name four: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

What is a book on your TBR that everyone recommends to you?
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo immediately popped into my head. But it's not a recommendation from anyone in particular, just one that has been mentioned over and over again in the bookish community!

What is a book on your TBR that you're dying to read?
Aside from The Map from Here to There, a published book I really want to read is Warcross by Marie Lu!

How many books are on your Goodreads TBR shelf?
Number of books I've added to my Goodreads "want to read" and "on my radar" shelves = 598
Physical books I haven't read = 207