July 2021 Reads

August 02, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Books

My, oh my, July was a lengthy month.

Although I read about the same number of books I usually read in a month, I have to admit, my reading slowed down substantially after I finally hooked up my Roku lol. Ya girl had some Marvel shows to catch up on, so a couple of weekends were spent bingeing said shows instead of reading. In addition to, of course, all of the weekly tv shows that started in July - Big Brother and Love Island - that I had to prioritize before they were no longer free on On-Demand lol.

Time well spent to say the least. :)

Anywho, let’s jump into what I read in July!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Poppy and Alex have nothing in common. She’s a wild child with an insatiable wanderlust; he wears khakis and prefers to stay home with a book. And, somehow, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year, they live in different states, but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together. Until 2 years ago when they ruined everything and haven’t spoken since. Poppy has everything she should want, but is stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together. Miraculously, he agrees. Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?

My Thoughts: This book was an absolute delight and the perfect summer read. I adored Poppy and Alex. All of the personality traits that made these characters different on an individual level, also made them shine so freaking bright when they were together. Their quick, witty banter was TRULY aspirational, and the pure admiration they had for each other was genuinely heartwarming to say the least. Not to mention, living vicariously through them on each of the summer trips to the coolest destinations was so fulfilling for the travel bug in me. Poppy’s premise of not knowing what really fulfills her anymore after she achieves everything she thought would make her happy was also incredibly relatable. Especially after quarantine forcing us to slow down and re-evaluate our lives, I find myself wondering quite frequently what is it that makes me most happy, yanno? The author made it so easy for me to understand what she was going through on a mental and emotional level. This book was the perfect mix of laugh out loud moments, gut wrenching interactions, and some spicy lil scenes - it was honestly just impossible to put down. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a summery contemporary romance!

A SKY BEYOND THE STORM by Sabaa Tahir

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: The long-imprisoned jinn are on the attack, wreaking bloody havoc in villages and cities alike. But for the Nightbringer, vengeance on his human foes is just the beginning. At his side, Commandant Keris Veturia declares herself Empress, and calls for the heads of any and all who defy her rule. At the top of the list is The Blood Shrike and her remaining family. Laia of Serra, now allied with the Blood Shrike, struggles to recover from the loss of the two people most important to her. Determined to stop the approaching apocalypse, she throws herself into the destruction of the Nightbringer. In the process, she awakens an ancient power that could lead her to victory or an unimaginable doom. And deep in the Waiting Place, the Soul Catcher seeks only to forget the life and love he left behind. Yet doing so means ignoring the trail of murder left by the Nightbringer and his jinn. To uphold his oath and protect the human world from the supernatural, the Soul Catcher must look beyond the borders of his own land. He must take on a mission that could save or destroy all that he knows.

My Thoughts: I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING. Bleeding Skies! Though I know this isn’t the perfect book for everyone, I feel like it was the perfect ending to this beautiful series. There is a lot of anguish, grief, and sorrow throughout, but it’s not without love, joy, and an undying trust to match. For starters, we finally get the origin stories of a few characters who, up until this point, have basically been enigmas to everyone else. It was really satisfying getting a better understanding of why some characters are the way that they are, yanno? Similar to the last book, A LOT happens in this one. We are NEVER short of any action scenes, and the amount of emotional hits I took to the heart cage in my chest was unreal. With this book covering the finale of everything we’ve worked up to in this series, I really admired that the author did not cater to the readership by keeping some favorite characters alive. Cue my waterworks. However, on the other side of that coin, I’m glad she continued to include characters from the last three books to not only pay them respect, but also help show how all of this came full circle. There was a SMALL disconnect for me related to the magic of everything, but I really can’t get into too much detail in this review without giving things away. That said, all I have to say is I really love this series, and highly recommend it.

THE UNHONEYMOONERS by Christina Lauren

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Olive is always unlucky. Her identical twin sister Ami, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world, and has managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests. Worst of all though, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man. She braces herself to get through wedding hell, but when the entire wedding party gets sick from food poisoning, the only two people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs. Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head to paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of lucky.

My Thoughts: I had heard great things about this book, and every other Christina Lauren novel I’ve read, I’ve absolutely loved. This one, although I enjoyed it for sure, didn’t necessarily wow me. I thought the setting of a Maui vacation was awesome and extremely easy to dive into for a book escape. Olive and Ethan were great main characters, their banter alone had me grinning throughout, and the endless swoony micro-moments made it easy to ship them. That said, the pacing was a little unsatisfactory in that you saw the transition from enemies-to-lovers, but it takes a while for anything to truly transpire between them. When they return from vacation in the last chunk of the book, it kind of hits an odd wall. It felt like I had been floating on a rom-com cloud while they were in Hawaii, and then once they returned home, the cloud dissipated and left me stumbling to find my footing again. It just took me from this light and fluffy experience to hard and fast drama that felt a little rushed. There was also some manufactured snarkiness that didn’t always seem necessary or appropriate for the moment. All of my critiques aside, page turning was effortless and the epilogue made it all worth it. Like I said, I absolutely adore Christina Lauren and highly recommend you give them a try if you haven’t yet! However, this was not the dynamic-duo’s best novel.

BEARTOWN by Fredrik Backman

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: People say Beartown is finished. A tiny community nestled deep in the forest, it is slowly losing ground to the ever encroaching trees. But down by the lake stands an old ice rink, built generations ago by the working men who founded this town. And in that ice rink is the reason people in Beartown believe tomorrow will be better than today. Their junior ice hockey is about to compete in the national semi-finals, and they actually have a shot at winning. All the hopes and dreams of this place now rest on the shoulders of teenage boys. Being responsible for the hopes of an entire town is a heavy burden, and the semi-final match is the catalyst for a violent act that will leave a young girl traumatized and a town in turmoil. Accusations are made, and they travel through Beartown, leaving no resident unaffected. Beartown explores the hopes that bring a small community together, the secrets that tear it apart, and the courage it takes for an individual to go against the grain.

My Thoughts: Whew this book was a doooozy. I’m not really sure where to start with this review because there’s so much to unpack here. This was my first Fredrik Backman book, and as a character-driven reader, I loved this style of writing. It made the many layers of this story even more complex because it gave insight into how everyone is connected in this diehard hockey town. The number of emotions that swirled through me while I experienced this community in turmoil was absolutely unreal. I’m not a crier and found myself in full blown sleeve-to-cheek-wiping tears multiple times. That said, there were also moments that made me smile, fist pump in triumph, and melt with the amount of love I felt radiating from these pages. I have to say, this is a pretty heavy book and I don’t think I’d be able to read it if I wasn’t in a good headspace. However, if you’re ready to be emotionally wrecked by a book and are confident you can handle the subject matter, then this is for you because although it made me question why I was still putting myself through its emotional wringer, I really did love the book overall. Which leads me to the last part of this review that I did not have the courtesy of knowing before going into this book. Content/Trigger Warnings: rape, rape culture, victim blaming, suicidal thoughts, violence, body dismorphia, child mortality, guns, and homophobia.

BEACH READ by Emily Henry

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire case. The only thing these authors have in common is for the next three months, they’re living in neighboring beach houses, broke and bogged down with writer’s block. Until one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She’ll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he’ll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult. Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

My Thoughts: What a freaking delight! Not only does the book take place along Lake Michigan (fictional city, but still the Mitten), but the characters, pacing, and overall premise of the story were satisfactory across the board for me. After having read a few romance novels recently, I have to say, one of my favorite parts about this book was that the main characters, January and Gus, actually communicated pretty solidly. Meaning there weren’t any last-minute misunderstandings that caused unexpected fights. I would say 80% of the time, they talked it out right then and there, and that was very refreshing as a reader. It was also really cool getting insight into the process of writing and publishing a book. Obviously, what was explained via the characters was probably extremely abbreviated, but I have to assume it was at least accurate. Aside from enjoying the characters, the overall plot line was so fulfilling - there were several steamy scenes, the right amount of emotional moments, and a fair share of witty banter. This book definitely had a different type of substance to it that I haven’t experienced with other romance novels and I highly recommend it!

CITY OF GIRLS by Elizabeth Gilbert

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: In 1940, 19-year-old Vivan Morris has just been kicked out of Vassar College. Her affluent parents send her to Manhattan to live with her Aunt Peg, who owns a flamboyant, crumbling midtown theater called the Lily Playhouse. There Vivian is introduced to an entire cosmos of unconvention and charismatic characters. But when she makes a personal mistake that results in a professional scandal, it turns her new work upside down in ways that it will take her years to fully understand. Ultimately though, it leads her to a new understanding of the kind of life she craves - and the kind of freedom it takes to pursue it. It will also lead to the love of her life, a love that stands out from all the rest. Now 95-years-old and telling her story at last, Vivan recalls how the events of those years altered the course of her life - and the gusto autonomy with which she approached it.

My Thoughts: The way I recently described to a friend how this book left me feeling was, “Reflecting back on it, I’m so thankful to have had that literary escape experience.” For starters, the writing provides an immersive experience for the reader and made it feel like I was riding shotgun in Vivan’s life as she recalled her youth with all of its pleasures and regrets. Not to mention, I was obsessed with her as a main character both as a naive 20-year-old running rampant through 1940s New York, and as the delightfully quirky, elderly woman describing her experiences so unapologetically. Vivian Morris is a character that will stick with me for a while. Plus, I absolutely adored all of the supporting characters and how each one shaped and changed the course of her life. The premise of this book alone keeps you on your toes, including how it explores the topic of female sexuality and promiscuity. For a majority of the book, I assumed I knew where it was all heading, but the unexpected plot twist put me to shame. Honestly, there wasn’t one part of this book I didn’t enjoy, and I am marinating in the feeling it’s left me with. I can’t say this book is for everyone, but it was the perfect historical fiction for me personally. To finish this review, enjoy a few of my favorite quotes below :)

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle.”
“Life is both dangerous and fleeting, and thus there is no point in denying yourself pleasure and adventure while you are here.”
“At some point in a woman’s life, she just gets tired of being ashamed all the time. After that, she is free to become whoever she truly is.”

THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS by Chloe Gong

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: It’s 1926 in Shanghai, and a blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is 18-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang - a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love and first betrayal. But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing out their own throats, people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths pile up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns and grudges aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.

My Thoughts: I was under the impression going into this book that it was a full-blown fantasy. What I quickly realized is that it’s more of a historical fiction retelling of Romeo and Juliet with some fantasy aspects sprinkled into it. It was a mindset adjustment to say the least. This book was a little lackluster for me. It was not a bad book by any means, but I honestly just don’t feel strongly either way about it. A couple of characters won my heart by the end - mostly side characters who made the experience much more enjoyable. The pacing of the story, though, felt kind of confusing because it was both fast and slow. Meaning, there’s a lot happening in each chapter action-wise (fast), but the time it takes for the protagonists to have a “rising action” epiphany (that I thought we had already like 130 pages ago) makes the book as a whole feel so slow. Like I don’t regret reading it, and I haven’t decided if I’m going to read the sequel or not, but this just won’t be my first historical fiction nor fantasy rec.

2021 Book Count: 55/55 - I should probably increase my goal lol.

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June 2021 Reads

July 01, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Books

Despite the extreme humidity, a full moon, and Mercury being in retrograde for a majority of it, June was a pretty okay month!

On a book-related note, I managed to finish a giant pile of library books I’d been working on since May which allowed me to tap into some of the books I own. Of course, that only lasted a moment because I’m an impulsive book requester at the local library and started accumulating a new small pile of library books that I have to work through again lol. But, the library is free and saves me money which prevents me from buying books I end up not liking. So, I’m calling it a win.

Anyway, enough rambling. Let’s jump into the books I read in June!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

RING SHOUT by P. Djeli Clark

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: D.W. Griffith is a sorcerer, and The Birth of a Nation is a spell that drew upon the darkest thoughts and wishes from the heart of America. Now, rising in power and prominence, the Klan has a plot to unleash Hell on Earth. Luckily, Maryse Boudreaux has a magic sword and a head full of tales. When she’s not running bootleg whiskey through Prohibition Georgia, she’s fighting monsters she calls “Ku Kluxes.” She’s damn good at it too, but to confront this ongoing evil, she must journey between worlds to face nightmares made of flesh - and her own demons. Together with a foul-mouthed sharpshooter and a Harlem Hellfighter, Maryse sets out to save a world from the hate that would consume it.

My Thoughts: This was probably one of the best novellas I’ve ever read, hands down. Starting with how brilliantly the author included historical facts and events - such as the Tulsa Massacre and The Birth of a Nation inspiring the formation of the KKK - and blended them with the fantasy imagery to illustrate how strongly hate produces more hate and creates monsters out of people. Maryse, Sadie, and Chef were straight up bad asses, and I loved how the dynamics of their friendship mixed with each one’s character development. Though this experience was only 180 pages, it was action-packed, extremely well-paced, and I never felt like part of the story was missing. The gore, horror and overall symbolism included in this book to depict the ugliness that festers from racism was unapologetic and deeply felt. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a short, but impactful read.

THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, KY, lives blue-skinned 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry. The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading materials to the impoverished hill people. Along her dangerous route, Cussy, known to the mountain folk as Bluet, confronts those suspicious of her damselfly-blue skin and the government’s new book program. She befriends hardscrabble and complex fellow Kentuckians, and is fiercely determined to bring comfort and joy, instill literacy, and give to those who have nothing, a bookly respite, a fleeting retreat to faraway lands.

My Thoughts: This book had a mildly slow start, but once it picked up about 30 pages in, I was invested. Cussy Mary is not your traditional protagonist. She isn’t overly defiant, she’s not outspoken, she doesn’t like creating waves with people who look down on her, and she doesn’t make any grand scenes. However, as the Pack Horse Librarian who delivers books to Eastern Kentucky people living in poverty, she is their heroine. Seeing Cussy through the eyes of her patrons makes you realize how brave, kind, and resilient she is as the main character. You will truly go through a slew of emotions following the highs and lows of “Book Woman’s” experiences. Also, I really thought the concept of Cussy’s blue-skin heritage was the fictional part of this historical fiction novel. However, after Googling it, there was indeed a lineage of blue-skinned people with a gene deficiency who settled in Kentucky in the early 1900s - which made this narrative even more interesting and impactful. This was a really lovely book that reminds us how important it is to be kind to others and the value of books in general. I definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a well thought out and researched historical fiction book!

Sidenote: I read The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes last year - which is also about the Pack Horse Library project in Kentucky - and though some people feel these books are the same, there are significant differences between them. So, in case you’re trying to decide whether to read one or the other, my recommendation would be to read both because each book is special in its own right. This one felt a little more researched and historically accurate tho.

A TORCH AGAINST THE NIGHT by Sabaa Tahir

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Elias and Laia are running for their lives. After the events of the Fourth Trial, Martial soldiers hunt the two fugitives as they flee the city of Serra and undertake a perilous journey through the heart of the Empire. Laia is determined to break into Kauf - the Empire’s most secure and dangerous prison - to save her brother, who is the key to the Scholars’ survival. And Elias is determined to help Laia succeed, even if it means giving up his last chance at freedom. But dark forces, human and otherworldly, work against them. The pair must fight every step of the way to outsmart their enemies. Bound to the Emperor Marcus’s will, Blood Shrike Helene faces a torturous mission of her own - one that might destroy her: find the traitor Elias Veturious and the Scholar slave who helped him escape and kill them both.

My Thoughts: What a WILD ride this book was. It had my heart pounding, mind racing, and the pages quickly turning. The author made a seamless transition from the first book (An Ember in the Ashes) into this one and the plot never skipped a beat - which was so satisfying because I fell right back into where I left off at an extremely steady rhythm. There were plenty of action-packed events, strategic scheming from all parties, and just a sprinkle of intimate emotional moments guaranteed to mess up your head and heart. Laia’s character development was a lot more satisfying this time around as we watched her shed some innocence and naivety that was a disadvantage in the first book. Elias’s story went nowhere I expected it to go lol, but I still love him as a main character. Helene’s POV surprised me the most in that I wasn’t expecting to be so invested. She goes through hell and back MULTIPLE times, and has to make the most difficult decisions out of any other character while battling her internal conflicts. I literally do not have one bad thing to say about this book and am here to admit that I’m whole-heartedly obsessed with this series- like please read it so I have someone else to talk about it with lol. :’)

BETTER THAN THE MOVIES by Lynn Painter

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Liz Buxbaum has always known that Wes Bennett was not boyfriend material. You would think that her nextdoor neighbor would be a prince candidate for her romantic comedy fantasies, but Wes has only proven himself to be a pain in the butt, ever since they were little. Flash forward 10 years, and it’s Liz’s senior year - a time meant to be rife with milestones perfect for any big screen, and she needs Wes’s help. See, Liz’s forever crush, Michael, has just moved back to town, and - horribly annoyingly - he’s hitting it off with Wes. Meaning that if Liz wants Michael to finally notice her, and hopefully be her prom date, she needs Wes. He’s her in. But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she actually likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must re-examine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own perception of what Happily Ever After should really look like.

My Thoughts: Y’ALL. This was everything I could’ve asked for in a rom-com-themed, enemies-to-lovers-trope YA romance novel. It was adorable and mischievous, the pop culture references were on point, and the main characters played off of each other perfectly with clever banter. Wes was my favorite - like ya girl was smitten with this thoughtful lad. If this book had existed while I was in high school, Wes FOR SURE would have set the bar for my expectations - I mean, I’m 27 and would love a guy as genuinely caring as Wes lol. Liz’s character had me banging my head against a wall a few times, but she was likeable and quirky enough that I couldn’t not root for her. Let me just say, was this an incredibly predictable plotline? Heck yes. Did I expect it to be predictable? Of course! However, I think that allowed me to enjoy the experiences of Wes and Liz so much more. It gave me all the swoony feels and laugh out loud moments without playing with my heart or leading me astray. Honestly, if you love rom-com movies or love some cheesy stories about love, I highly recommend this book!

ACE OF SPADES by Faridah Abike-Iyimide

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now because anonymous texter, Ace, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his own photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re playing much more than a high school game.

My Thoughts: Before buying this book, I saw it was described as “Get Out meets Gossip Girl, but make it Black and queer,” and, by golly, is that accurate. This whole experience was just a WILD ride and had me saying “holy shit” out loud multiple times. It was dark, thrilling, and impossible to put down. The author did an incredible job of creating a twisted story that addresses the ugliness of timely issues including institutionalized racism, socioeconomic inequities, white-washed education system, and more. I liked that the book was in a point of view format, so that you got to see how Aces was affecting both Chiamaka and Devon on a personal level. The writing made it easy for me to vicariously feel the anxiety they were having in relation to the paranoia of not knowing who to trust, when Aces was going to strike next, and whether their lives were in physical danger. It was suspense city the entire time, and although the ending felt mildly rushed, this book was truly an experience I definitely recommend ya try.

ONE LAST STOP by Casey McQuiston

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: For cynical 23-year-old August, moving to NYC is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures. But then there’s this gorgeous girl on the train - Jane. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things after all.

My Thoughts: This book has been getting hella hype and was definitely a “bookstagram made me buy it” purchase. I also read McQuiston’s Red, White, & Royal Blue a couple of years ago and enjoyed it, so I was excited to dive into this one. For starters, the writing in this sci-fi love story has a whimsically poetic quality to it that makes the whole “falling in love slowly, then all at once” experience feel like wrapping yourself in a cozy blanket. The connection between the main characters, August and Jane, was undeniable and felt at the core of every new interaction they shared on the subway. I absolutely ADORED the secondary/supporting characters and this book would not be the same without them. Specifically, Myla, Niko and Wes - August’s roommates. Their personalities added such depth and kept the pace moving forward. Though there are only 422 pages to this novel, A LOT happens - which is both a pro and con for me. At one point about halfway through, the pace slowed down significantly, and I was like “Okay, this honestly probably could’ve been over by now.” However, I pushed myself to keep going, and it picked up again shortly after. This was a unique book to say the least and if you’re looking for an unconventional romance story, I recommend picking this one up for sure.

A REAPER AT THE GATES by Sabaa Tahir

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Helene Aquilla, the Blood Shrike, is desperate to protect her sister’s life and the lives of everyone in the Empire. Yet danger lurks on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable and violent, while Keris Veturia, the ruthless Commandant, capitalizes on the Emperor’s volatility to grow her own power - regardless of the damage she leaves in her path. Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows that the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. During the hunt to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would help her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she’d have to fight. And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. However, in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that demands his complete surrender - even if that means abandoning the woman he loves.

My Thoughts: Well hot dang. I thought the second book in this series was eventful (see: A Torch Against the Night), but this one moved QUICKLY. From the moment you crack this book open until you hit the “Acknowledgements” page, there is so much to sort through. Dare I say, almost too much? Each character is caught up in their own sticky situation and though some of those journeys overlap, most are experienced by the individual - which means you gotta pay attention or else you’re going to miss something. Basically, everyone is fighting their own battles, but each of those battles is leading to an inevitable giant war between the mortal and immortal worlds. Because there’s so much going on, I felt like the character development wasn’t AS clear in this book as it has been in the past two. The only person you can clearly feel is going through some shit at a core level is Elias. His story has taken a TURN and requires this extremely empathetic character to give up the things that make him human (love, kindness, etc.) to fully take on his new role - which throws him into a TIZZY. Helene’s and Laia’s paths end up crossing a bit more than I was anticipating, but I loved the strong, woman-leader camaraderie. Obviously, I’m going to continue onto the fourth book of this series because I love it, but the amount of information and number of events that were packed into this one was mildly overwhelming, so make sure you’re paying pretty close attention to it. (Hence 4 stars instead of 5.)

LAST CHANCE BOOKS by Kelsey Rodkey

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

Summary: Madeline Moore feels most like herself inside the musty bookstore, Books & Moore, that her family has owned for generations, and nothing is going to stop her from coming back after college to take over the store from her beloved aunt. That is, until a chain bookstore called Prologue opens across the street and threatens to shut them down. Madeline sets out to demolish the competition, but Jasper, the guy who works at Prologue, seems intent on ruining her life. Not only is he taking her customers, he has the audacity to be extremely cute as well. But that doesn’t matter because Jasper is the enemy and he will be destroyed. All’s fair in love and (book) wars.

My Thoughts: Ugh I wanted to like this book so much, but it just didn’t do it for me. The main character, Madeline, was really hard for me to like. She’s 18 years-old, but acted more immature than that. She’s incredibly impulsive and blinded by her own paranoid narrative that Prologue is out to get Books & Moore, that she’s just constantly plotting with no regard to how it will affect those around her - like someone got hit by a car as a side effect of her shenanigans. I found myself extremely frustrated with her for a good chunk of the book - especially, how unaware she was that Jasper had a crush on her. Like, girl?? He LITERALLY said, “Madeline, I like you.” And, she STILL thought it was a ploy to take down her store…..?????? Jasper’s character wasn’t annoying by any means, but there wasn’t a lot of depth to his personality. The storyline was a really cute concept, the pace was pretty decent and never hit a slow spot, and the small wins that happened throughout the book were enough to keep me reading. However, I know there are better YA romance books out there, so this wouldn’t be my first recommendation in that category by any means.

2021 Book Count: 48 down, 7 to go.

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May 2021 Reads

May 31, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Books

You know what? May is a really long month. Like a lot of stuff happened recently, and in my head, I’m like, “oh yeah, that definitely happened in April, right?”

Nope. It was May.

It also starts during Taurus season and ends in Gemini season. So, that in itself is a wild transition to go through in the span of just one month.

Anyway, I read a bunch in the last 31 days and wrote out all of my thoughts for you to consider before picking up any of the said books.

I’m TRYING to keep my reviews shorter, but if you’ve ever heard me try to tell a “quick” story in-person then you know how hard this is for me. :’)

All righty, here we go!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

START WITH WHY by Simon Sinek

Rating: 2/5 stars

Summary: In studying the leaders who’ve had the greatest influence in the world, Simon Sinek discovered that they all think, act, and communicate in the exact same way - and it’s the complete opposite of what everyone else does. Sinek calls this powerful idea The Golden Circle, and it provides a framework upon which organizations can be built, movements can be led, and people can be inspired. And it all starts with WHY.

My Thoughts: I had to read this book for work, and I have to preface this review by saying, I’m not a non-fiction type of gal. I’ve seen Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle TED Talk more times than I can count, and is it a solid presentation? Yeah, for sure. Is there enough material there to extend it into a book? Absolutely not. Though there were a few key points I took from the book, this honestly could have been 100 pages shorter. It was extremely repetitive, pretty dry, and hard for me to get through because it honestly just didn’t keep my interest. I’m sure if you’re the “read to learn” type of person who usually enjoys books like this, then you’d appreciate it. I’m just not that person and that is WHY this book was not my jam lol.

NAMESAKE by Adrienne Young

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: With the Marigold ship free of her father, Fable and the rest of the crew were set to start over. That freedom is short-lived when Fable becomes a pawn in a notorious thug’s scheme. In order to get to her intended destination, she must help him to secure a partnership with Holland, a powerful gem trader who is more than she seems. As Fable descends deeper into a world of betrayal and deception, she learns that the secrets her mother took to her grave are now putting the people Fable cares about in danger. If Fable is going to save them, then she must risk everything - including the boy she loves and the home she has finally found.

My Thoughts: Similar to the first book in this duology, Namesake uses incredible imagery that amplifies and illustrates this sun-kissed, sea-misted world perfectly. It gave us all the bright and colorful descriptions we know and love, so that it feels like you’re on the ship with the crew or walking through a gem encrusted palace. A lot more tea was spilled in this book - figuratively and literally. In Fable, the author provided a small glimpse into each of the characters’ origin stories, but Namesake truly cracked open the family albums like embarrassing parents on a bad first date and allowed us to dive deep into each person’s history. I do wish the secondary characters such as Willa, Paj, Auster, etc. had gotten more page time because they provided a lot of depth to the story in Fable, but at least we saw a different side to Koy, who had previously left us with the impression that he was just a bloodthirsty jerk. My other critique is that this book wasn’t as eventful, and there were some scenes that felt as though something BIG was about to happen, and then they just fizzled out. West’s and Fable’s romance storyline was a lot more straightforward, which I appreciated, and though the ending felt kind of rushed, I was extremely pleased with it. Overall, I think if you enjoyed Fable, then you will appreciate Namesake!

JOSH AND HAZEL’S GUIDE TO NOT DATING by Christina Lauren

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take - and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun. Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air. Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them, right?

My Thoughts: This was the cutest book I’ve read in a while and I was absolutely smitten. It was the perfect blend of mildly cheesy parts, borderline saccharine interactions, and comedic moments that had me grinning like a doofus. Starting with Hazel, her whimsical, free-flowing spirit was excessive, benevolent, and perfect. I absolutely loved her character and think we all need someone like this in our lives to remind us not to take anything too seriously and appreciate being authentically ourselves. Josh’s character was calm, grounded, warm, generous and the perfect balance to Hazel. I thoroughly adored and enjoyed watching them go from college acquaintances to mutual friends via Josh’s sister to best friends to something a little more. The entire experience of this book was incredibly heartwarming - especially being buckled into the ride that is Hazel and Josh learning they may not be the perfect fit for everybody, but they’re perfect for each other :’). Plus there were a couple of v hot scenes sprinkled throughout, so it’s not all just “cute” lol. If you’re looking for a quick, fun romance read, this would be my recommendation for sure!

TW: I do want to note a potential trigger warning of emotional abuse. It’s not talked about outright, but through the explanation about one of Hazel’s previous relationships, it’s clear that she was being manipulated.

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: Laia is a slave. Elias is a soldier. Neither is free. Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Empire risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear. It is in this brutal world that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the impoverished backstreets and do not dare to challenge the Empire.

When Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy. There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier - and secretly, it’s most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize their destinies are intertwined - and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

My Thoughts: This was so different from other books that I’ve read, and definitely kept me on my toes. It was the perfect mixture of action-packed battle scenes, thoughtful emotion-provoking events, and varying perspectives that make you continuously question where everyone’s motives lie. That said, this book is pretty dark and stress-invoking - especially, in relation to the military academy - depicted through blatant cruelty, violence, and brutality towards slaves/Scholars and defecting students. There were a few times I found myself wanting to “cover my eyes” like if I was watching a scary movie during a suspenseful scene lol. The main characters had a great connection and are easy to root for. However, I definitely liked Elias a little more than Laia. I understand Laia had to blindly put her trust in the Resistance to get her brother out of prison, but she made some decisions that put me ON EDGE a few times and she is literally the worst spy ever lol. Elias just had a really genuine innocence and benevolence about him. Even as he’s cutting people down with swords, his internal conflicts about it made him so much more human and warm than the character he’s supposed to be. If that makes sense? The only reason I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because it’s randomly revealed that a second-tier character has a magical power. But, like, that was it lol. The author didn’t unpack that any further. We don’t get to know why she has it or how she got it or if any of the other characters have similar gifts - the story just keeps on pushing after that quick plot detour. So, I’m hoping there’s more explanation and insight into that discovery in the next book because I’m definitely going to continue with this series!

Trigger warning: rape is mentioned a bit in this book.

REBECCA by Daphne Du Maurier

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: The novel begins in Monte Carlo, where our heroine is swept off her feet by the dashing Maxim de Winter and his sudden proposal of marriage. Orphaned and working as a lady’s maid, she can barely believe her luck. It is only when they arrive at his massive country estate that she realizes how large a shadow his late wife will cast over their lives - presenting her with a lingering evil that threatens to destroy their marriage from beyond the grave.

My Thoughts: The last time I read a book in the classics genre, I was in high school. So, I wasn’t confident in how much I was going to like this one, but was pleasantly surprised! Though it took me about 30ish pages to get into, I was really impressed with the contemporary writing style. There was definitely still the essence of it being written in the 1930s and the dialogue was a little ridiculous - like I was literally lolling at how absurd some of it was - but, overall it was easy to read. Unaware of what this book was about going into it (lol), I was tempted to put it down a couple of times because I couldn’t figure out where it was going and felt like I was just wandering aimlessly around Manderley, but after the author threw in a couple of creepy scenes and unexpected plot twists, I was invested. I also found it extremely impressive that she never used the main character’s first name. All in all, I enjoyed this book and recommend it if you’ve been considering branching out from your usual genres and want to dabble in the classics.

LOVE FROM A to Z by S.K. Ali

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When Zayneb gets suspended for confronting her Islamophobic teacher, and he starts investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar for an early spring break. She resolves to try out a “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her.

Then her path crosses with Adam’s. Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the fall, Adam stopped going to classes with the intention of keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister and keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father.

Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals until a marvel and an oddity occurs: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

My Thoughts: This was an absolutely lovely book and a much-needed narrative. I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never read a book that centers around Muslim characters, and after reading other Goodreads reviews, I realize how few and far between books like this are. This book expanded my understanding of Islam in general, the microaggressions people of that religious community face every day, the significance of Hijabs, and more. It was cool to see that the main characters, Adam and Zayneb, had different levels of religious practice and backgrounds. Zayneb was raised in a Muslim family, she wears a hijab, attends prayer at the Mosque occasionally, and her parents are more relaxed when it comes to the traditional rules for their daughters to date. Whereas Adam converted to Islam when he was nine after his mother passed away, he practices the daily prayers and attends service at the Mosque every week, and his dad is also laid back when it comes to dating. The love story of this book was cute, but I wasn’t as fully connected to it as I was to the educational aspect of this narrative. In addition to the meet-cute romance and learning portion, the storyline involving Adam’s multiple sclerosis hit close to home as someone in my family has that disease and it can be very scary. There really wasn’t anything to dislike about this book, however, there were a couple of areas where the writing style felt mildly choppy or staccato (?), I guess, would be the best way to put it. Overall, I highly recommend this read to everyone. Periodt.

TW: Islamophobia, racist micro-aggressions, cultural appropriation, death of family members, and war/victims of war.

LAST NIGHT AT THE TELEGRAPH CLUB by Malinda Lo

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club. America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father - despite his hard-won citizenship - Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.

My Thoughts: This book was an absolute delight, and will definitely hit you in the heart and feels. This was ultimately a coming of age story about seventeen-year-old Lily Hu who is navigating her sexuality in 1950s San Francisco Chinatown. I loved how easy it was to connect with the main characters, Lily and Kath. They felt genuine and innocent at their core which made it extremely satisfying when their rebelliousness came out as they took risks to follow their hearts. The various glimpses into the past that we get from other characters’ perspectives throughout the book added the perfect amount of depth to understanding Lily’s family dynamics and melding together the overall story. The plot is pretty straightforward, but with so many different themes woven into this novel, it was hard to put down. Definitely recommend this book!

YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN by Leah Johnson

Rating: 3.8 out of 5 stars

Summary: Liz Lighty has always believed she’s too black, too poor, too awkward to shine in her small, rich, prom-obsessed midwestern town. But it’s okay - she’s got a plan to get out of Campbell, Indiana forever: attend Pennington College, play in their orchestra and become a doctor. When the financial aid she was counting on unexpectedly falls through, she’s reminded of her school’s scholarship for prom queen. There’s nothing Liz wants to do less than endure the social media trolls and catty competitions, but despite her fear of the spotlight she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get to Pennington. The only thing that makes it halfway bearable is the new girl in school, Mack, who is also running for queen. Will falling for the competition keep Liz from her dreams or make them come true?

My Thoughts: I recently realized there are a bunch of audiobooks available on Spotify and being a novice to them, I figured I’d give it a try. This was a very cute, “rooting for the underdog” type of story. Though the plot was pretty predictable, it was still enjoyable. Liz’s character development was probably my favorite thing about this book. At the start, she’s quiet, keeps to herself, and is struggling with anxiety. Over the course of the story, she becomes confident in who she is and isn’t afraid to take up space that originally wasn’t available to her in this podunk town. Plus, as she grows, so do the relationships with those around her. I absolutely loved watching Liz rediscover her friendship with Jordan (he is just the most genuine soul <3) and watching her fall in love with Amanda (who is definitely cooler than me). There are your fair share of awkward, teenage, cringe-worthy moments, but empathizing with secondhand embarrassment is good for the soul, right? Overall, I really enjoyed this book and all of the messages the author layered throughout. My only critique, and this is just because it’s my first audiobook experience, I don’t think I was as invested as I would’ve been had I been reading it. The narrator (Alaska Jackson) did a phenomenal job, but I wasn’t motivated to listen to this every time I put my earbuds in, yanno?

THE EMPRESS OF SALT AND FORTUNE by Nghi Vo

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: A young royal from the far north, In-yo, is sent south for a political marriage in an empire reminiscent of imperial China. She has few resources, fewer friends and has to choose her allies carefully as she plans her enemies’ demise while in exile. Rabbit, a handmaiden, sold by her parents to the palace to pay a debt, befriends the emperor’s lonely new wife and gets more than she bargained for.

My Thoughts: “Angry mothers raise daughters fierce enough to fight wolves. I am not worried for her in the least.” Can I get a “yussss”? This 120-page gem was the perfect mix of feminism and fantasy and we were here for it. We follow a non-binary cleric named Chi and their bird (it’s a hoopooe, but like Google that and it’s a bird) named Almost Brilliant (I’d be mildly offended, but like ok?) who are trying to learn as much as they can about the previous empress’s experience in exile from a former handmaiden, Rabbit. To keep it brief, the empress is a badass who shows her enemies what she’s made of, and the power she can muster in the middle of nowhere. This was a beautiful book about resilient and rebellious women, dripped in feminism and mythology, sprinkled with a cast of queer characters and topped off with a delightful storytelling experience. :) The only thing that threw me off was the riddle-ish writing. I got used to it, but it took a minute.

THEY BOTH DIE AT THE END by Adam Silvera

Rating: 3.8/5 stars

Summary: A little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today. Though they are complete strangers, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: there’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure - to live a lifetime in a single day.

My Thoughts: LOL. This book was different to say the least, and boy did it prove me wrong in my assumptions of where the plotline was leading. Though I didn’t connect to the characters until I was about 45% into the book, the premise of this story kept me interested enough to get me there. The main takeaways were perfectly illustrated through the character developments of Mateo and Rufus - i.e. living without fear or regret, letting go of what you can’t control, focusing on all the good around you, and finding the beauty in the unplanned or unexpected turns in life. The blooming friendship to romance between the two main characters was v cute and an endearing part of an otherwise mildly morbid novel. It was kind of slow at parts that made the experience mildly meh, but there also were some plot twists towards the end that I didn't see coming - specifically, how their last day ends lol. I didn’t get emotionally wrecked by this book (as I’ve seen many people say they were in other reviews), and if you’re not big on the writing format of constantly changing POVs, then this probs isn’t for you. Otherwise, I’d say it’s worth the read if it has piqued your interest.

THE INHERITANCE GAMES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why or even who Tobias Hawthorne is. To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into a sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man’s touch - and his love of puzzles, riddles and codes. Unfortunately, the House is also occupied by the family that Tobias just dispossessed. Including the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation they would one day inherit billions. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

My Thoughts: The best way I can describe this book is that it’s like if Gossip Girl and Knives Out had a baby. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to figure out the riddles and mysteries that are Avery’s connection to Tobias Hawthorne. Admittedly, I don’t read a ton of mystery novels, but there was not one moment while reading this book that I thought I had it all figured out. Avery, the main character, was a strong lead to this story, but I think the four Hawthorne grandsons are what made it interesting. Their personalities are so contrasting to one another, and the brotherly-love dynamics truly served us some dramatics to say the least. If you like the sound of “unsupervised rich kids solving a mega rich grandfather’s last twisted riddle” and are looking for a quick read, then I highly recommend this for you. :) The sequel doesn’t come out until September, but I am definitely planning to get my hands on it!

2021 Book Count: 40 down, 15 to go.

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already!

YOUR TURN! Let me know in the comments below what books you’re planning to read this summer. :)

April 2021 Reads

May 02, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Books

April was a weird month. One day it was the first week of April and the next, we’re sliding into May.

Hopefully, the one freak snowstorm we got was the last blip of surprise winter weather we’ll see this spring.

In other news, I got a new couch at the beginning of April and it has completely transformed my space. It’s also a PRIME spot to cozy up with a book - which I clearly took advantage of by reading nine books this month. :)

So let’s get to it!

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

CRAZY RICH ASIANS by Kevin Kwan

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might marry one day. What she doesn’t know is that Nick’s family home happens to look like a palace, that she’ll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia’s most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back.

Crazy Rich Asians is an insider’s look at Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.

My Thoughts: I saw the Crazy Rich Asians movie in 2018 and remember walking out of the theater thoroughly satisfied, but I also must admit that it has been a few years since I’ve seen it and honestly can only recall bits and pieces of it. So, though I saw the movie before reading the book, it didn’t skew my opinion. This book was a WILD ride across the board. For starters, I truly enjoyed learning more about the Singapore and Chinese lifestyles, values, traditions, and more via all of the cultural references the author includes throughout the chapters. It was interesting to see how, although most families living in Singapore originated in China, there are specific differences that separate the countries. For example the language dialects - Hokkien, Mandarian, and Cantonese. As for the actual story, I thought it was incredible how many characters were included in this narrative, and each of the main characters had a distinct personality that added to the experience. I did feel like this also made the book a little difficult to put down and pick up because if it was a secondary character’s POV all of a sudden, I had to keep going back to the family tree diagram provided in the front of the book to remember who this specific person was and how he or she contributed to the overall story. Similarly, the author made it easy for me to develop closer relationships with the main characters, but everyone else I was kind of indifferent towards - except Peik Lin, Rachel Chu’s best friend. She’s the best lol. Overall, this was a great book and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for something with a lot of layers to it.

RIOT BABY by Tochi Onyebuchi

Rating: 3.8/5 stars

Summary: Ella and Kev are brother and sister, both gifted with extraordinary power. Their childhoods are defined and destroyed by structural racism and brutality. Their futures might alter the world. When Kev is incarcerated for the crime of being a young Black man in America, Ella - through visits both mundane and supernatural - tries to show him the way to a revolution that could burn it all down.

My Thoughts: This was a really thought provoking novella depicting not only the structural racism in America but also the detrimental effects on people’s lives who experience police brutality. The book primarily follows Kev who was born during the 1992 Los Angeles riots after the police officers who savagely beat Rodney King were acquitted. Starting from his childhood through his adult years - which are primarily spent in prison - Kev’s story takes place in the present to show that his life and the way it panned out was basically planned before he was even born. Alongside Kev’s story, we get glimpses from his older sister, Ella’s, perspective as she learns to control her supernatural powers in the past and future. Their sibling bond is really strong which was an endearing part of this otherwise heart squeezing narrative. I liked that this was a true blend of sci-fi and fantasy portrayed in everything from Ella’s powers to government drones surveying cities in the future, and how powerfully the author illustrated his message about police brutality. Overall, this book packs a powerful punch in just 176 pages if you’re looking for a quick, meaningful read.

CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE by Tomi Adeyemi

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Zelie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orisha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Riders beckoned waves, and Zelie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls. But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zelie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zelie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zelie must outwit and outrun the crown price, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orisha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zelie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

My Thoughts: This was definitely a Bookstagram-influenced borrow from the library, and thankfully, it didn’t fall short of its hype! Children of Blood and Bone takes you on a v eventful trek to save magic from a tyrant king whose life mission is to rid the world of magic forever. In an early twist, the person who ignites the journey to save magic is the princess. The world building was phenomenal in this action-packed African folklore-inspired fantasy and really helped with the imagery. The main characters - Zelie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan - were rich in their own personalities and complemented each other so well - even during the character development. My only critique is that it was a pretty predictable storyline that’s accompanied by its enemies to lovers trope. It wasn’t hard to see which characters were going to develop a flame as well as how the book was going to pan out. There was a twist at the end that I didn’t see coming, but it was unclear if it was meant to be a cliffhanger or not. This was a great read if you’re looking for some adventure!

THE ASTONISHING COLOR OF AFTER by Emily X.R. Pan

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: when her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. When she travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life.

Alternating between real and magic, present and past, friendship and romance, hope and despair, The Astonishing Color of After is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love.

My Thoughts: This was a beautiful book that will grab your heart, squeeze all the feels out of it and then put it back full again. At first, it kind of reminded me of I’ll Give You the Sun in the way the author uses art (in this case, a variety of colors) to help express the main character, Leigh’s, emotions. After her mom commits suicide though, the use of colors to express her emotions becomes a little lost because she falls into a dark place. What I really appreciated about this book is how the author virtually makes you take Leigh’s hand as she works through her grieving process, and comes to terms with her various internal battles that she could’ve done something to prevent this tragic event. Even as Leigh is learning more about her mother’s life in Taiwan by spending time with her grandmother, you can feel her slowly becoming more at-peace that her mother was sick long before they knew something was wrong. There was also something very satisfying about Leigh also processing her feelings for her best friend, Axel. It was almost like an anchor of familiarity and warmth while she experienced this cold, grieving time. Aside from the book’s narrative, it was also interesting to learn more about the Taiwanese culture through her experiences visiting all of her mother’s favorite places. Overall, I thought this was a really touching book, but please be conscious of the following trigger warnings before reading it: suicide, depression, loss of a loved one, grief, abandonment, racial slurs, and mention of electroconvulsive therapy.

SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee, Alina Starkov, who has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life - a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha and the secrets of her heart.

My Thoughts: This has been on my list of books to read for a while, but it was promoted to being a priority read this month because Netflix released their Shadow and Bone series on April 23rd and I wanted to read at least the first book before watching the show lol. As this is the first in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, I think the author did a solid job with fantasy world-building. It was seamlessly intertwined with the actual storyline and it didn’t overshadow the character development - which some fantasy novels tend to do. It was interesting watching Alina go through a mild identity crisis once her power is discovered because she’s never felt like she belonged anywhere. Even as a child, she was an orphan, so she never truly had a home. With the discovery of her power and her launch to stardom essentially, she begins to drink in that she finally has a place in the world as the Sun Summoner of the Grisha. Of course, this naivety also ends up being her character flaw, but she’s trying her best and that’s all that matters, right? Also really liked The Darkling’s character in this book because he’s basically the most powerful Grisha and one of a kind at that, but there’s still so much we don’t know about him and I’m dying to learn more. The only character I couldn’t decide if I liked or not was Alina’s childhood friend, Mal. He’s hot then cold, yes then no - Katy Perry. By the end of this book, I was definitely excited to see what else this trilogy has to offer! Highly recommended if you’re looking for an adventurous escape from reality for a bit.

SIX OF CROWS by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price - and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams, but he can’t pull it off alone - a convict with a thirst for revenge, a sharpshooter who can’t walk away from a wager, a runaway with a privileged past, a spy known as the Wraith, a Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums, and a thief with a gift for unlikely escapes. Kaz’s crew is the only thing that might stand between the world of destruction - if they don’t kill each other first.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I read Six of Crows because I heard some characters from this book will appear in the Shadow and Bone Netflix show since the series kind of overlap a little bit. I went into this book not knowing anything about it, and was pleasantly surprised. For starters, the storyline was an absolute delight because it’s definitely different from almost all of the other fantasy books I’ve read recently. I’m also a big fan of scrappy gang/mafia narratives - like Peaky Blinders - so, I was about it. The heist that this misfit gang is offered seems absolutely absurd, so of course they accept the challenge. The dynamics in this gang of misfits meld them perfectly together and each person’s strength is an asset to the success of this virtually impossible operation. What I really appreciated about this book was that the author allowed you to get to know each character more intimately, which enhanced my experience from everyone’s POV, and made me love them on an individual level. I do recommend reading at least the first book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy though before jumping into Six of Crows because although the author kind of gives a summary of the Grisha Verse world in this book, she provides much more world-building and details about everything in Shadow and Bone. This book absolutely charmed my heart in a way I cannot explain and I cannot wait to dive into the next one!

SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Hunted across the True Sea, haunted by the lives she took on the Fold, Alina must try to make a life with Mal in an unfamiliar land, all while keeping her identity as the Sun Summoner a secret. But she can’t outrun her past or destiny for long.

The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darklings’ game of forbidden magic, and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her - or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.

My Thoughts: In an attempt to read the entire Shadow and Bone trilogy before starting the Netflix series, I binge read this book in one day. Which I think may have caused me to be more critical of it because my nose was in this book for like 6 hours straight lol. The pace of the book started off pretty strong with the Darkling abducting Alina and Mal from Ketterdam to hunt a mythical sea serpent. However, that quicker pace only lasted through like the first 40% of the book and then it just felt kind of slow until the last 100 pages or so. As the second book in the trilogy though, Siege and Storm was clearly a bridging book, so it was more focused on weaving key details into the plot to set us up for the third book than it was on creating exciting, action-packed scenes. I found the main character, Alina, to be a little annoying because she was being so reckless with some of her decisions. That’s pretty common to include in a character’s development when they’re young and “just discovering their true power,” and clearly, the author wanted you to feel Alina’s imposter syndrome while she found her voice as a leader. However, it was no less irritating when you want to be rooting for her, but she keeps making dumb choices. To top that off, her childhood friend/love interest, Mal, was also going through some shaky character development too, so it was just a shit show in some parts. On a positive character-related note, I really enjoyed all of the new people that were introduced in this book such as the Grisha pirate twins, Tolya and Taran, and the rogue prince/privateer, Nikolai. They added just enough spice and dynamic to the book, so that the characters you’ve been with since the beginning didn’t get stale. The plot twist related to the Morozova (the OG Grisha) amplifiers wasn’t necessarily predictable, but where the trilogy is headed after the discovery of these amplifiers was v clear - even if the characters didn’t announce it right away. Obviously, if you’re reading the Shadow and Bone trilogy, then I still encourage you to read this book, but it was definitely more low-key than the first.

RUIN AND RISING by Leigh Bardugo

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne, and now the nation’s fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army. A weakened Alina must submit to the protection of the Apprat and zealots who worship her as a Saint, but her plans lie elsewhere, with the hunt for the elusive firebird and the hope that an outlaw prince still survives.

Alina will have to forge new alliances and put aside old rivalries as she and Mal race to find the last of Morozova’s amplifiers. But as she begins to unravel the Darkling’s secrets, she reveals a past that will forever alter her understanding of the bond they share and the power she wields. The firebird is the one thing that stands between Ravka and destruction - and claiming it could cost Alina the very future she’s fighting for.

My Thoughts: Yay for this series ending on a stronger note than I was expecting after its very underwhelming second book! Like the broken record that I am, I binge read this book the day after reading Siege and Storm because, why not? Ruin and Rising came in hot serving up some well-deserved, constructive character developments across the board, as well as some plot thickeners that would make chili hard to stir. Seriously though, it was very refreshing to see Mal take accountability for his actions and become the dependable character we’ve all had the expectations for him to be. His specific storyline took a turn that I did NOT see coming, so that was an exciting piece of the puzzle to find. My fave boy, Nikolai, returned right when he was needed and also experienced a change of events that were quite unexpected. Alina, Miss Sun Summoner, stopped being annoying and started making moves towards being the game changer/world saver Ravka needed her to be. The Darkling stayed conniving, became a little more ruthless, but still had those “I’m just looking for someone to understand me” vibes. My favorite thing about this book though was it had the perfect mix of action-packed events and slower, emotion-provoking scenes - it kept the reading pace steady and refreshing. The author also made sure to tie up all of the loose ends of details we were missing, and they fit perfectly, although very unexpectedly, into this book - I will say though, they basically reveal these plot points pretty early in the TV adaption, so if you watch that first before reading these books, those details will probs be anti-climactic lol. Overall, I was satisfied and fulfilled with how this book ended the series!

PACHINKO by Min Jin Lee

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: In the early 1900s, teenaged Sunja, the adored daughter of a crippled fisherman, falls for a wealthy stranger at the seashore near her home in Korea. He promises her the world, but when she discovers she’s pregnant - and that her lover is married - she refuses to be bought. Instead, she accepts a marriage offer from a gentle, sickly minister passing through on his way to Japan. But her decision to abandon her home, and to reject her son’s powerful father, sets off a dramatic saga that will echo down through generations.

My Thoughts: I honestly have never dubbed myself as a fan of historical fiction, but it’s books like Pachinko that are making me think otherwise. This was a beautiful multigenerational story following a Korean family throughout the 20th century. I have to admit, I wasn’t well-informed about the relationship between Korea and Japan going into the book, so I learned a lot from this. This wasn’t a feel-good story, it was blunt and unapologetic as it illustrated the real, and sometimes harsh, human experience as a Korean living in Japan. I absolutely loved the women of the family, Sunja, Yangjin, and Kyunghee. They were so strong, stubborn, resilient, and dedicated to their families. It was really satisfying to me that they go from being the traditional home-keepers to being the main breadwinners for a large period of time when the men of the family each experience some hard times. There were a few heart breaking events that stick with them for years and end up changing the family dynamics. With the multiple layers of each generation, this book definitely demands a decent amount of your attention - especially in the second half where the pace speeds up. In my opinion, this could have been a little bit shorter, but overall, I really enjoyed reading Pachinko.

That’s it for April!

2021 Book Count: 29/55

YOUR TURN! In the comments below, let me know if you liked the Netflix series of Shadow and Bone compared to the books. What are you planning to read for May?

March 2021 Reads

April 01, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Books

Well March felt like a year long but also kind of like we blinked and it was April, amiright?

This month, I made sure to incorporate more guilty pleasure books to give my brain the break and escape it needed after being in such a rut during February.

So, let’s get into it.

*All summaries are taken or paraphrased from Goodreads.

TWICE IN A BLUE MOON by Christina Lauren

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Sam Brandis was Tate Jones’s first: her first love… and her first heartbreak. During a whirlwind 2-week vacation in London, Sam and Tate fell for each other in the only way first loves do: sharing all of their hopes, dreams, and deepest secrets. Sam was the first, and only, person that Tate - the long-lost daughter of one of the world’s biggest movie stars - ever revealed her identity to. So, when it became clear her trust was misplaced, her world shattered for good. Fourteen years later, Tate is now an up-and-coming actress and only thinks about Sam every once in a blue moon. When she steps onto the set of her first big break, he’s the last person she expects to see. Yet here Sam is the same charming, confident man she knew, but even more alluring than she remembered. Forced to confront the man who betrayed her, Tate must ask herself if it’s possible to do the wrong thing for the right reason, and whether “once in a lifetime” can actually come around twice.

My Thoughts: Ugh this was just what I needed to kick off a new month of reading. This book has been in my TBR pile for quite some time, and I finally hit the top of the request list at the library for it at the beginning of March - kismet timing, if you ask me. This is a true blue “what’s meant to be, will be” love story - which means if books that are borderline saccharine aren’t your taste, then this may not be your jam. Though the whirlwind romance between young Tate and Sam felt a little naive to my cynical heart, the experience also ended up making Tate a character I really enjoyed. She was a strong, independent woman who was extremely confident in her career and had a “fool me once shame on me, you’re not going to fool me twice,” kind of attitude. What I appreciated about this storyline the most is that although you want to be on Team Tate, Sam’s character is impossible not to like. Also, he had some sexy lumberjack vibes going on and you cannot convince me otherwise. The supporting characters sprinkled throughout like Tate’s best friend, her father, Sam’s grandfather, etc. were also very lively and distinct, which made the whole story meld together perfectly. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy romance read.

THE TWO LIVES OF LYDIA BIRD by Josie Silver

Rating: 3.4/5 stars

Summary: Lydia and Freddie had been together for more than a decade, and Lydia thought their love was indestructible until her twenty-eighth birthday when Freddie dies in a car accident. So now it’s just Lydia, and all she wants to do is hide and cry, but she also knows Freddie would want her to try to live happily - even without him. So, enlisting the help of his best friend, Jonah, and her sister, Elle, she takes her first tentative steps to living and, perhaps even loving, again. But then something inexplicable happens that gives Lydia another chance at her old life with Freddie where none of the tragic events of the past months have happened. Lydia is pulled across the doorway of her past, living two lives at once. But, there’s an emotional toll returning to a world where Freddie, alive, still owns her heart. Because there’s someone in her new/real life, who wants her to stay.

My Thoughts: I had heard great things about The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, and I absolutely adored Josie Silver’s other book, One Day in December. So, I was pretty excited to finally get my hands on this one. Let me start by saying, overall, this was a cute book and I enjoyed it. However, I honestly had no idea where it was going or the path that I, the reader, should be taking to grasp what the book was going to be about until about halfway through. Like it was a love story, but not completely a love story? For a majority of the first part of the book, Lydia is grieving her dead fiance, Freddie. After being supplied with special pink pills to help her sleep, she begins bouncing between her world and a parallel world where Freddie is still alive, and life is moving forward as planned. Throughout this whole narrative, I’m thinking the book is going down a route of existential questions about “what happens when you disrupt worlds parallel to yours?” Then it kind of took a jump to Lydia finding herself through various events like speed dating, an impulse trip to Croatia, and confiding in her longtime friend, Jonah, who was Freddie’s best friend and who she had been on the rocks with as he grieved too. While it continues to bounce back and forth between the parallel world traveling and the “finding yourself” storylines, the author sprinkles in a budding love story in there as well. By the end of the book, everything feels like it’s tied off in a semi-decent bow, but it was kind of a mess getting there lol. Like I said, overall, it was a sweet book and I enjoyed it, but, in my biased opinion, it definitely doesn’t hold a candle to One Day in December.

UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of navigating divorce, forming a new blended family, and discovering that the brokenness or wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to bring her full self to the table. It is the story of how each of us can start to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: There She Is.

My Thoughts: I basically agree with all of the other reviews out there saying this book was really inspirational. Glennon Doyle is raw and unapologetic as she takes us through the highs and lows she’s experienced over the last decade including divorice, her book publication, falling in love with Abby Wambach, finding her voice, navigating her faith and more. Highly recommend to anyone looking for some kick ass woman mojo. The only thing I didn’t relate to, and never do with these types of memoir/self help books, are all the sections about motherhood. Otherwise, great read. Here were my favorite takeaways from Untamed:

It’s nearly impossible to blaze one’s own path while following in someone else’s footsteps.
We can do hard things.
Explaining/defensiveness is fear preparing its case.
The miracle of grace is that you can give what you’ve never gotten.
Blessed are those who are brave enough to make things awkward, for they wake us up and move us forward.
Be careful with the stories you tell yourself about yourself.
It is wild to let others be wild.
When a woman learns that pleasing the world is impossible, she becomes free to learn how to please herself.

THE BLACK GOD’S DRUMS by P. Djeli Clark

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Creeper is a scrappy young teen who is done living on the streets of New Orleans. She wants to soar and set her sights on securing passage aboard the smuggler airship Midnight Robber. Her ticket: earning Captain Ann Marie’s trust using a secret about a kidnapped Haitian scientist and a mysterious weapon known as The Black God’s Drums. Creeper keeps another secret close to her heart though -- Oya, the African orisha of the wind and storms, who speaks inside her head and grants Creeper divine powers. And, Oya has her own priorities concerning Creeper and Ann-Marie.

My Thoughts: This was one of the first novellas I’ve read and it definitely won’t be my last. Creeper is an orphan who gets by on pick-pocketing tourists at the port in New Orleans. What I liked most about her as a main character was her resilient and independent spirit. After living on the streets and fending for herself for so long, you could feel how strong she was, and the strategies she used to reach her end goal of leaving New Orleans were admirable for someone so young. The other main character, Ann-Marie, was an absolute badass. It was entertaining to see how the two were connected and how that played into the big event of the book as well. The only thing that made this book hard to get into was how the author structured the setting. It’s based in a post-Confederate New Orleans that is accented with sci-fi features, but because he had to build this world in just 108 pages, it felt a little clunky at times - especially for someone who has never been to New Orleans and doesn’t know the general layout of the city. So, my brain had to keep pivoting how this world looked as the story went on based on the various descriptions he provided throughout that conflicted with what I was picturing initially. Overall, I enjoyed this novella and recommend it to anyone looking for a quick read!

THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET by Sandra Cisneros

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: Told in a series of vignettes, The House on Mango Street is the story of a young Latina girl, Esperanza Cordero, growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she wants to become.

My Thoughts: Another satisfying novella! This book was compiled of short stories narrated by Esperanza who gives you a glimpse into her life and those around her in Chicago. What I liked most while reading this is watching the subtle character development as the vignettes progress. Esperanza had a much younger point of view in the stories told towards the beginning, but as time progresses, you can see her character start to mature as she questions what’s expected of her and girls her age, assesses the opportunities available to kids living in her neighborhood, and enhances the dreams she has for herself. Specifically moving out of their house on Mango Street as soon as she can. The emotional undertone continuously changes throughout the pages as well - going from heart breaking to really happy. If you’re looking for a quick read that puts you in someone else’s shoes for a while, this is a good book for that.

FABLE by Adrienne Young

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary: As the daughter of the most powerful trader in the Narrows, for seventeen-year-old Fable, the sea is the only home she’s ever known. It’s been four years since the night she watched her mother drown during a storm and the next day abandoned by her father on a legendary island filled with thieves and little food. For survival, she must keep to herself, learn to trust no one, and rely on the unique skills her mother taught her. The only thing that keeps her going is the goal to get off the island, confront her father, and demand her rightful place in his crew. To do so, Fable enlists the help of a young trader named West to get her off the island and across the sea.

Since she saw him last, her father’s rivalries and dangers of his trading enterprise have only multiplied. Fable soon finds that West isn’t who he seems. Together, they will have to survive more than the awful storms that haunt the Narrows if they’re going to stay alive.

My Thoughts: Y’all know I love a good YA fantasy and this book was just what I needed. This is the first book in a while that sucked me in so much, I read it in a day. The imagery the author provides through Fable’s eyes is so perfectly illustrated and colorfully visualized, it made me feel like I was the one dredging for pyres underwater, getting the shit kicked out of me by thieves, feeling the sun on my skin out at sea, and more. I also enjoyed that Fable, though young, was not naive or childish. After fending for herself for four years on a rough island, her character was strong, independent, strategic, and determined. That said, the usual teenage behaviors she had, such as extreme stubbornness, brought her a wholeness to her character that was realistic and satisfying. The supporting characters were also great in helping her story along, but I will say, West’s character felt kind of like a filler to close gaps in the story whereas I think his purpose was to be more of a connector. There’s a part towards the end involving his character specifically that feels kind of rushed and out of the blue. It just wasn’t foreshadowed enough for me throughout the beginning of the book and only mildly towards the middle. So by the time it happened, it felt like “oh? Okay. I mean, I guess I’ve seen that coming… kind of?” We just didn’t receive a great set for it to be the perfect spike, so it wasn’t considered a kill, yanno? (Volleyball reference, if you missed it lol). Overall though, if you’re looking for a book that will take you on an adventure for a while, this is the one for you!

THE NICKEL BOYS by Colson Whitehead

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: When Elwood Curtis, a black boy growing up in the 1960s, Jim Crow-Era, Tallahassee, is unfairly sentenced to a juvenile reformatory called the Nickel Academy, he finds himself trapped in a grotesque chamber of horrors. Elwood’s only salvation is his friendship with fellow “delinquent” Turner, which deepens despite Turner’s conviction that Elwood is hopelessly naive, that the world is crooked, and that the only way to survive is to scheme and avoid trouble. As life at the Academy becomes ever more perilous, the tension between Elwood’s ideals and Turner’s skepticism leads to a decision whose repercussions will echo down the decades.

Based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children.

My Thoughts: It took me a while after finishing this book to figure out how to articulate my thoughts on it because I also had a physical response from it. This story is based on the very real Dozier School, which has a dark and ugly history rooted in the systematic racism that our country was built on. It is a vivid rendering of history riddled with trauma and heartbreak told through immense depth and detail. The unexpected friendship between Elwood and Turner is a beacon of light and peace in this horrifying place that is supposedly making upstanding men of the boys who are sent there. In addition to having their identities and rights stripped away after walking through the front gates of Nickel, any sort of insubordination against the school’s policies can lead to punishment, so bad it made my skin crawl and stomach turn. The worst form of punishment being Black Beauty, which is a giant whip used to punish black students with repeated lashings across the back and legs - often leaving them unconscious and bedridden for days. This book was also a horrifying reminder of the dehumanization of and violence against Black people that happened during the civil rights movement and Jim Crow-era. Not to mention, a shocking reminder that these same things are still happening today. There’s a subtle plot twist that creeps up on you so quietly, once you realize what’s happening, it’s absolutely devastating. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed reading this book, it’s incredibly sad and packs a serious emotional punch for only being 210 pages, but I think it’s a book everyone should read.

A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Feyre’s survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill - the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price.

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre’s presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

My Thoughts: OKAY Y’ALL BUCKLE UP. So, I need to preface this by saying I stan SJM’s other series, Throne of Glass, like there is literally no tomorrow. I am obsessed with it, okay? So coming into ACOTAR, which is EXTREMELY HYPED on Bookstagram, I had to take a step back and remind myself not to compare the two, and maybe lower my expectations a little for this series lol. Taking all of that into consideration, this was a pretty solid book overall. It had all of our favorite SJM themes and attributes included:

Strong female protagonist (not as strong as ToG, but I digress)
Strong female antagonist who is accompanied by a weaker male antagonist (lol)
A hot, brooding protagonist with a v sarcastic sense of humor that you initially think is an antagonist until you get to know the character better <3
Sexual tension :)
Faes, faeries, and other mythical creatures that bring the world and story to life
World domination via magic
Etc.

I really enjoyed the character development arcs, getting to know them more, and seeing them grow as the plot thickened. However, there were a couple of things that fell flat for me that I can’t necessarily get into detail about without spoiling the book. I think the main reason they fell flat though is because I’m familiar with the author’s writing and where her storylines usually go. So, when this particular book did not go the way I expected, it was just kind of a side-eye. It felt like she was serving the expectation I had on a silver platter, but then quickly pivoted and went a different direction which left me in a wtf state lol. OVERALL THO, I think if you enjoy YA Fantasy and/or SJM, then you’d enjoy this one. I’m just a tough critic because Throne of Glass is where my heart lies lol. Though I won’t be jumping directly into the next book in this series, I will probably pick it up within the next month or two.

Welp that’s March for ya!

2021 Book Count: 20/55

YOUR TURN! Let me know if you’ve read any of these books in the comments below - especially if you want to weigh in on my ToG vs. ACOTAR debate. ;)

Don’t forget to add me on Goodreads!

Popcorn Lovers Guide

March 11, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Lifestyle, Food

So, I love snacks.

Just a big fan of them.

My favorite snack? Popcorn.

It’s probably like 15% of my diet and I just don’t see that changing anytime soon.

And, what’s not to like about popcorn?

It comes in a bunch of different flavors
You can put a variety of toppings on it
You can make it fresh or buy it pre-popped
It makes the perfect impersonal, yet totally acceptable Christmas gift in the form of a tri-split tin featuring butter, cheddar and caramel
There’s even such a thing as gourmet popcorn

You really can’t lose with PCorn.

So, as a self-proclaimed popcorn connoisseur, and in celebration of National Popcorn Lovers Day, I thought I’d share my fan favorites with you folks at home who are curious about the best snack ever.

Category is: brands.

MOVIE THEATER

This is a no brainer and definitely deserves a spot in this guide as it is the O.G. of buttered popcorn goodness. There’s nothing better than going to the flicks in a non-pandemic world with your purse full of candy from the gas station and a bottle of water, so that you only have to drop dollars on the golden gift from the movie theater gods.

Top qualities:

Warm
Perfect amount of salt (you add it yourself, duh)
Drizzled in real butter
Great with any candy (if you haven’t added a whole box of Buncha Crunch to your warm movie theater popcorn, you haven’t truly lived yet!)
Still tastes good stale - seriously, if you haven’t tried day-old movie theater popcorn, you’re truly missing out
Gives you something to do during the previews because we all know we all eat our movie theater snacks before the movie actually starts

ANGIE’S BOOMCHICKAPOP

This is one of my go-to brands for pre-popped popcorn. You really can’t lose with Angie’s.
Side note: This company was featured on NPR’s How I Built This podcast and it was a really interesting story. So, even if you’re not a popcorn person, but you are a podcast person, I highly recommend checking out that episode!

Top qualities:

It’s got a fluffy pop - meaning the individual pieces of popcorn are a little thicc and don’t melt as soon as they hit your tongue
You can find it at most grocery stores and it’s usually on sale
It’s a woman-owned company which isn’t common for popcorn brands
Low on the cals in case you can’t stop - I usually cannot
Most bags come pretty full, so you’re not cheated by extra air

Favorite Flavors:

Buttered - it’s a truly cohesive relationship between the butter flavor and the popcorn. It doesn’t taste like you’re getting popcorn covered in some processed butter powder. The popcorn itself encompasses the buttery flavor.
Cheddar Cheese - again, there aren’t any breaks in flavor between tasting the cheese and tasting the popcorn. It’s all wrapped into one experience, so it tastes legit - which is rare for a cheddar popcorn. Big, big fan of this one.
Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn - Ugh this one is so delicious. The ratio of sweet to salty on this popcorn is just *chef’s kiss*. The kettle part isn’t like caked onto each piece of popcorn either, it’s just a little crackle coating, so it’s perfect.
Seasonal Flavors - they offer some really unique seasonal flavors that I go out of my way to find each year because I’m mildly addicted, including: white chocolate and peppermint, frosted sugar cookie, and pumpkin spice drizzle.

SKINNY POP

Another fan favorite of the grocery store variety.

Top qualities:

Its pop is lighter - which means it melts a little quicker as it hits your tongue but because it’s a lighter pop, you can enjoy more all at once lol

You can find it at most grocery stores - also in bulk size at Costco
Low cal across the board
Available in mini bags at the gas station, so if you’re crazy and don’t like movie theater popcorn, you can pick up a bag of this in lieu and it will still fit in your purse or any large sweatshirt
The microwaveable bags are just as noms as the pre-popped in case warm, freshly popped popcorn is more your jam
Has a wide variety of unique flavors

Favorite Flavors:

Original - this is in their classic green bag and honestly, just satisfies any and all popcorn-snacky-cravings
Sea Salt & Pepper - I am a pepper gal. RARELY will you hear me at the dinner table ask for the salt, but pepper is a regular request. So, this flavor makes all of my peppered popcorn dreams a reality. It’s not overwhelming, it’s just enough and each piece has a generous amount, so it’s evenly distributed throughout the bag.
Twist of Lime - okay hear me out. If you’re obsessed with the touch of lime tortilla chips, then I really do feel like you’d enjoy this one. I was skeptical about it at first, but have purchased this flavor a few times since and it does not disappoint. The lime flavoring does sometimes make the little area at the back of your jaw tingle, but it depends on how sensitive you are to tangy flavors.

SMARTFOOD

I’m giving this one a shoutout solely for its most-popular flavor that we all know and love.

Top Qualities:

Fluffy pop - this is the kweeeen of fluffy popped popcorn. These pieces are hearty and you could fill your cheeks with them like a chipmunk. Not that you would, but you could if you wanted to.
This brand is so easy to find: grocery store, gas station, vending machine, etc.
They have a low cal version, if 160 calories for 2.5 cups of this is just too much for you, but Ima stick to the original.

Favorite Flavors:

White Cheddar popcorn - this is honestly the only one I’ve ever tried, but it’s a classic that doesn’t get nearly enough hype. The cheese flavor is so legit that it coats your fingers in a v thick layer of white cheddar that would be sacrilegious to not lick off when you’re done snackin.

GARRETT POPCORN

Okay, we’re going to level-up to the gourmet brands - starting with the OG Garrett Popcorn.

If you’ve ever been to Chicago, but have never had Garrett Popcorn, you’re not doing it right.

Pre-pandemic, people would line up down the block before the shop opened just to get some Garrett Popcorn. Obvi there are a few locations in Chicago, like Navy Pier for example, but there are lines no matter which location you go to because it’s just that good.

Top Qualities:

It’s super fresh
Each piece is thicc and crunchy
The popcorn is hand-crafted, so you know it’s high quality
The amount of flavor that’s packed into each bite is unreal, so you’re definitely getting your money’s worth
Because it’s bagged on the spot, they fill those bags to the brim
For gourmet popcorn, I honestly feel like the prices are pretty good
Still tastes suuuuper good even when it’s a couple days stale

Favorite Flavors:

All of the flavors are good, honestly. So, you can’t really lose here.
My go-to order is the cheese/caramel mix - I’m a salty sweet kind of gal and that just always hits the spot
Just the cheese - this deserves its own bullet point tho because the cheese on this popcorn is so real, your hand becomes covered in the best type of cheesy, buttery grease. I just cannot get enough of it.

BROWN BAG POPCORN

I was introduced to this Detroit-based gourmet popcorn company last year when my incredibly thoughtful boss sent everyone on her team a tin of it. And, I just don’t feel like enough people know about it!

Top Qualities:

It’s thickly popped and super popcorn-style crunchy - just the way we like it
If you order from their website, it comes in this super cute paint can
Freshly made if you visit their store
Hand-crafted flavors
Their core flavors are gluten free for you gluten sensitive people out there
LOCALLY-OWNED BUSINESS!!

Favorite Flavors:

I’ve only had the MMMMMix - which is the caramel and cheese mix - and it was absolutely phenomenal. Like the cheese and caramel perfectly compliment each other vs. one or the other stealing the show (IYKYK).
They have a variety of other flavors, including a “Flavor of the Month” which is currently Motown Mint.

Welp that’s it! To all of you popcorn haters out there, I will give you the one con, which is the little pieces that have a tendency to get stuck in your teeth, but otherwise, it’s the best.

Happy National Popcorn Lovers Day!

YOUR TURN: Let me know if you have any favorite brands or flavors that I didn’t include here, and I’ll give them a try.

February 2021 Reads

March 02, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Books

February may be the shortest month of the year, and smack dab in the middle of the depressing winter months, but it’s also my birthday month, so I’m a fan.

I was on the struggle bus with reading in February - found myself in a bit of a “reading funk,” if you will - so, I didn’t read as many books as I had hoped.

But, nonetheless, let’s get into the short stack of books I read last month!

*Summaries are paraphrased and/or taken from Goodreads.

I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST by Mason Deaver

Rating: 3.7/5 stars

Summary: When Ben DeBacker comes out to their parents as non-binary, they’re thrown out of their house and finds refuge with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder worsened by their parents’ rejection, Ben come out to only a couple of people including a therapist.

Ben’s attempts to survive the last half of senior year at a new school by keeping a low profile are hindered when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic guy, takes Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan’s friendship grows, their feelings for each other evolve, and what started as a disastrous situation turns into the chance to start a happier life.

My Thoughts: This was an incredibly powerful book that touches on identity, acceptance, complex family issues, mental illness, and more. It dove into areas that, as a cis woman, I would’ve never thought about in terms of sexuality as it relates to gender identity. For example, Ben’s sister, Hannah, asks them what gender they’re into, and they explain that they don’t know because although they gravitate towards more masculine-looking people, they don’t want to say they’re bisexual because that would discount nonbinary people, and who is Ben to determine someone’s gender is more attractive than another? Besides David Rose’s wine metaphor in Schitt’s Creek, I haven’t encountered any explanations on this topic that were as eye-opening as the ones in this book. My main critique is although it was dripping with emotion during the pivotal parts, everything in between was kind of dry. I found myself really pushing to get through the lulls to get to the next high where the story picked up pace again. I also think the supporting characters deserved a little more page time because the author gave them really distinct personalities that added texture to the story, but they weren’t utilized enough. Overall, I think this was a really impactful book that I believe a lot of people would benefit from reading.

THE HOUSE OF DEEP WATER by Jeni McFarland

Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary: River Bend, Michigan is a small town that while most can’t imagine leaving, three women couldn’t wait to escape. When Linda Williams, her mother Paula and Beth DeWitt return and their paths collide, the town struggles to contain all of their love affairs and secrets. Filled with the voices of mothers, daughters, lovers, and fathers, The House of Deep Water explores motherhood, trauma, love, loss and new beginnings.

My Thoughts: This was a very heavy, emotional read for me. Not that it caused me to physically cry or anything, but as someone who experiences seasonal depression, the dark emotional undertones that accompanied some of the characters in this novel made it really hard to pick up every night. If you’re someone who isn’t easily affected vicariously through books, then you’d probably be fine. I just found it a little emotionally exhausting, but that’s also due to the author’s ability to immerse you in each character. This novel touches on the dynamics of dysfunctional families, social and racial issues, sexual abuse (trigger warning), and small town isolation. I appreciated that even though the three main characters were so different, their lives were still intertwined through experiences, history, and family members. Overall, I thought it was an all right book, but I won’t read it again.

THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin

Rating: 3.9/5 stars

Summary: Three terrible things happen in the same day - which is how the world ends. Again. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, the Sanze empire - which has been the foundation for civilization for thousands of years - collapses, killing most of its citizens. Worst of all, a great red rift has torn into the heart of the earth, causing ash to darken the sky for years - if not, centuries. Now, to save her daughter, Essun must travel through a deadly, dying land without sunlight, clean water, and limited supplies. A war is coming across the Stillness continent for the basic resources necessary to get through the long, dark night.

My Thoughts: Going into The Fifth Season, I had high expectations because of all the positive reviews I saw on Bookstagram, Goodreads, etc., but this book may have been a victim of its own hype. The way this story is structured is really unique as it follows three women’s journeys - Damaya, Essun and Syenite. At one point, the author actually puts you in Essun’s shoes and starts writing in second-person for her chapters, which was cool because it made it easier to really get into the mindset of the character and envision her experience firsthand. Since this book is the first in the Broken Earth trilogy, I know its purpose is to set the scene and background for what’s to come in the next two books, but that made a large portion of this book a very slooooow burn. There is a glossary and historical overview in the back to help you understand some historical, caste, societal, and setting references, but I didn’t find those tools until after I finished lol. There is also so much detail that you really have to pay attention to each woman’s journey to understand how they’re all connected and the significance of each one’s experience. In all honesty, I didn’t truly get into it until maybe halfway through and after finishing it, I think it probably could have been about 50 pages shorter. This was a good book overall, but I didn’t feel like it lived up to its hype. It ended on an interesting cliffhanger though, so I may read the next book, but probably not anytime soon.

HOMEGOING by Yaa Gyasi

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, are born in different villages during 18th century Ghana. Effia is married off to an Englishman which leaves her living in comfort in the Cape Coast Castle. Unbeknownst to Effia, Esi is imprisoned beneath her in the castle’s dungeons, sold with thousands of others into the Gold Coast’s booming slave trade, and shipped off to America where her children and grandchildren are raised in slavery. Homegoing follows the descendents of these sisters through everything from centuries of warfare and British colonization in Ghana to the Civil War, Great Migration and twentieth-century Harlem in America, right up to the present day. This novel makes history visceral and captures how the memory of captivity came to be inscribed in the soul of a nation.

My Thoughts: I loved this book and not just because it ended my lukewarm reading streak for February. The story follows the families of two half-sisters, Effia and Esi, who started in two very different places in life and is uniquely formatted to read as though you’re climbing a family tree. Starting from the roots, the author takes you on a journey across 250 years from 18th-century Ghana to 20th-century Harlem. Each chapter is a vignette that focuses on a different family member in subsequent generations to show how each of the sister’s family ends up in the present day. I liked that although you don’t spend a ton of time with each character, you still get to know each one intimately. Which, personally, helped me build a deeper connection not only with the character, but also the families.The author’s writing is absolutely incredible, and the way she illustrates the horrifics of slavery and slavery’s aftermath was incredibly impactful yet still digestable. I also want to give mad props to the author for the amount of research that had to have gone into writing this book to truly bring each character’s time period and setting to life. This was a marvellous book for only being 300 pages and I highly recommend it!

2021 Book Count: 12 down, 43 to go!

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t yet!

YOUR TURN! Let me know in the comments below what books you have on this year’s TBR (To Be Read) list.

January 2021 Reads

February 02, 2021 by Haley Burrill in Books

Last year, I truly discovered my love of reading. Maybe it was more discovering a different type of “escape” that isn’t via a screen because, yanno, sometimes it’s nice to jump into another world for a few hours. Either way, I ended up reading 48 books when my original goal was only 20. Which means, from now on, I won’t feel like a phony by putting “reading” as one of my hobbies lol.

This year, I decided to Emeril LeGasse my Goodreads goal and kick it up a notch!

2021 Goodreads Reading Goal: 55 books.

Of those 55 books, I’m aiming for at least 30% (or ~17) to be books written by BIPOC and/or LGBTQ authors and two need to be classics. Apparently my mom is a big fan of the classics and she was pushing me to read more of them this year. So, Daphne du Maurier, I’m coming for ya.

Anyway, without further adieu, let’s recap the books I read in January, shall we?

(Actually, lol, quick preface to my ratings: I feel like I gave out a lot of 5 stars last year whereas some people rarely give them out. So, I figured I’m either not being judicious enough with my fivers or I’m just only reading books I know I’ll love lol.)

NOW, without further adieu…

*All summaries are paraphrased from Goodreads.

THE ASSASSIN’S BLADE by Sarah J. Maas

Rating: 4.8 /5 stars

Summary: Celaena Sardothien is Adarlan’s most feared assassin, and her allegiance is to her master, Arobynn Hamel - King of the Assassin’s Guild. Truly though, Celaena only trusts her herself and her fellow assassin, soft-eyed Sammy boy. In this collection of action-packed novellas, Celaena embarks on five daring missions. They take her from Pirate islands to hot af deserts, where she fights to liberate slaves and seeks to avenge the tyrannous. All Celaena wants is to be free, but acting against Arobynn’s orders could cause her to suffer the unimaginable punishment for such treachery.

My Thoughts: Okay, so I could literally write a standalone blog post about the entire Throne of Glass series because I’m that obsessed with it. There are seven books total and in December, I DEVOURED them like Thanksgiving leftovers. I just cannot express how lost in the sauce this series made me feel. So, to kick off my year with finishing up the emotional journey I’ve been on in this fantasy world by reading the prequel…*chef’s kiss*. This book was about Celaena Sardothien’s various assassin missions and life in Adarlan leading up to the salt mines of Endovier (a.k.a. where the first book starts). Each of the short novellas in Assassin’s Blade were mentioned throughout the actual series, so to finally get the whole story - especially about Sam - was incredibly fulfilling. Highly recommend Assassin’s Blade, but I will cut you if you don’t read the ToG series first (lol at the violent pun). :)

BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR by Elizabeth Gilbert

Rating: 4.3/5 stars

Summary: This book uncovers the enigma that is the nature of inspiration and clever ideas by encouraging readers to embrace their curiosity and let go of personal skepticism. Gilbert walks us through how to tackle what we love most and face down our biggest obstacle - fear. By explaining the attitudes, approaches and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives, Gilbert encourages us to uncover the creative potential hidden within each of us.

My Thoughts: Though I was v lucky because a lot of the personal examples she gives is about writing, anyone with a creative interest would benefit from this book. Gilbert explains through a variety of examples and anecdotes that creative geniuses don’t exist; rather, everyone has the potential to find their own creative genius. So, whether you crochet, play an instrument, widdle soap, literally anything - you will walk away inspired to try this concept of creative living.

My key takeaways:

Ideas and creativity will only find you if you’re putting in the energy for them to reach you
Only do your creative practice if it’s because you genuinely enjoy it, not because you think other people will
Never start a creative project with monetization in-mind or else it will always disappoint you
Don’t allow the fear of not being the best at your creative practice prevent you from doing it

THE VANISHING ACT OF ESME LENNOX by Maggie O’Farrell

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: Between running her vintage clothing store and avoiding her current guy-of-the-moment’s clinginess, Iris Lockhart receives surprising news: her great-aunt Esme, whom she has never heard of before, is being released from an asylum - where she has been locked away more than 60 years. Esme’s records prove she is Iris’s grandmother’s sister, and there’s no doubt Iris can see a glimpse of her dead father in Esme’s features. Though Esme has been deemed harmless, she is still essentially a stranger to Iris, and carries with her some very dark family secrets.

My Thoughts: Funny back story to this book - and I promise I’m trying to make it short. Earlier this month, I was staying at my parents’ house for a few days and was looking for a quick, easy read. My mom said she had a book downstairs that I bought her for Christmas when I was about 10. Apparently, when I gave it to her, I told her that after buying gifts for my brother and dad, I only had about $6 left. So, I went to Barnes & Noble, found the clearance table, saw a book with a ballerina on it that was only $5, and thought this was the gift for mom. For obvious reasons, she was expecting the book to suck eggs, but to her surprise, it was actually a banger. So, she’s held onto it all these years lol. I really enjoyed this book and it was a pretty quick read. The format of it is a little different, but once you get an idea of which character is talking/thinking, it’s hard to put down. The ending was very poetic and left you with just a nugget of completion while still wanting more.

THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE by Audrey Niffenegger

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Summary: Henry DeTamble, an adventuresome librarian, frequently finds himself misplaced in time. As one of the first people diagnosed with Chrono-Displacement disorder, Henry’s disappearances are spontaneous, the period of time he’s sent to frequently changes, and his experiences are unpredictable. Clare, Henry’s wife, has known him since she was a child and he was in his thirties. Through both Henry’s and Clare’s points of view, The Time Traveler’s Wife dives into the effects of time travel on their relationship and lives.

My Thoughts: It took me longer to read this book than I expected it to. That’s definitely not because I didn’t enjoy it, but I wasn’t so enthralled that I “couldn’t put it down.” (I guess another way to say that is, when I had the option of continuing to binge watch Gilmore Girls or to read TTTW, I more often chose Gilmore Girls lol.) The author does a great job of tying together all of the different experiences from both Clare’s and Henry’s perspectives as it relates to his time traveling. What kept me hooked though was the feeling that I was putting together a puzzle, but had to figure out who had the right pieces - Clare or Henry. I will say that I wasn’t in love with either character, and it truly surprised me that Clare never questioned whether or not she had a choice in all of this. She just blindly trusted some guy who kept showing up randomly in the woods near her family’s property and took whatever he said at face value. I would have been a liiiiittle more skeptical than that. (Like, hello, Clare? Stranger Danger? Have you never heard of it?) Overall, I enjoyed this book, but probably won’t read it again.

THE BLACK FLAMINGO by Dean Atta

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: A boy, Michael Angeli, comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen by falling in love with the art of drag and transforming into The Black Flamingo.

My Thoughts: The easiest five stars ever. This was a powerful story about owning who you are on your terms and not allowing others to define you or put you in a box that makes them feel more comfortable. I absolutely loved Michael. Even through the rough patches when he wasn’t sure of himself, I could feel it in my gut that he was going to thrive. The poetry throughout this book was an amazing component and I appreciated how it reflected his growth. Towards the start, the poems felt a little naive and scrappy, but as the story continued and Michael began to be more confident in his identity, the poems he was writing became more polished and profound as well. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick read that will leave you feeling v satisfied.

A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN by Roseanne A. Brown

Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary: The Solstasia Festival only happens once every 50 years when the Bahia’s Comet passes over Ziran. For Malik, Solstasia is an opportunity to escape his war-stricken home with his sisters and start a new life in the prosperous capital. That is, until his younger sister, Nadia is taken by a vengeful spirit as payment for entering the city. The only way to get her back is to kill Karina, the Crown Princess of Ziran. However, Karina has concocted some deadly plans herself after her mother, the sultana, is assassinated. In order to resurrect her mother, Karina requires the heart of a king, and by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition, she will get one. However, seeing their tasks to kill each other through may be tough after Malik rigs his way into the contest and love starts to flicker between them.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book and not just because it has to do with a comet that is a rare sighting (like Halley’s Comet (lol)). I’ve been on a YA fantasy kick for a while, and the imagery in this book was very refreshing. The author did a wonderful job of creating a world painted with a variety of magical characters, mystic beings, and more - all inspired by West African folklore. It took a little longer than I anticipated to get into it, and at first, I found it kind of hard to like the main characters. Although that improved as the characters developed, I can’t say I closed the book feeling super connected to them. One of my favorite things about this book is that she portrayed Malik’s struggle with anxiety as a debilitating illness with both mental and physical effects. As someone who wrassles with anxiety on a daily basis, it was really validating to see it illustrated so accurately. There is a sequel to this book, but I wouldn’t say this first book ended on an incredibly suspenseful cliffhanger, so I’m still undecided about whether I’ll continue onto the second in this series.

THE SEVEN HUSBANDS OF EVELYN HUGO by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: Aging Hollywood movie icon and recluse Evelyn Hugo is ready to spill the tea on her glamorous and scandalous life. When she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more surprised than Monique herself - she’s not exactly at the top of her game, her husband recently left her, and her career has plateaued. Regardless of why Evelyn has chosen her to write the biography, Monique is determined to us this opportunity to breathe life back into her career. As Evelyn’s story unfolds, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

My Thoughts: I think we all need a little more of Evelyn Hugo’s energy in our lives - especially when it comes to not giving two fucks. This woman is a savage, but she’s so unapologetic about it, that you can’t help but admire her. When Monique first met Evelyn’s character, I couldn’t tell if I was going to like her or not. Like obvi the tea she was about to spill was going to be piping hot, but her personality was kind of cold and off-putting. However, as the book explores each marriage, you quickly learn she’s that way for a reason. It was also really powerful how, through her life story, this book touched on the topics of sexuality, race, and the expectation to conform to society’s norms. Especially as it relates to Evelyn’s relationship with her sexuality, and how it goes from being something she uses to advance her career to something she cherishes greatly. Evelyn’s anecdotes weren’t the only thing that kept me sucked into this book, it was also the plot twist of trying to figure out why she specifically chose Monique for this project. Overall, this was an awesome book and shows you just how far someone will go for the people they love.

CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary: It’s 1878 and Tessa Gray, a young, soft-spoken gal from New York, is on her way across the pond to start a new life with her brother, Nathan. However, as her ship docks, she quickly learns her brother is missing and finds herself caught up in London’s dark supernatural underworld where her only allies are the demon-slaying Shadowhunters. Soon, they are up against a secret organization of vampires, demons, warlocks, and humans known as the Pandemonium Club which has a plan to overthrow the British Empire using a magical army of unstoppable clockwork creatures - and only Tessa and her allies can stop them.

My Thoughts: We love a good YA fantasy set in 1800s London, do we not? I surely do, and this book was no exception. I had a hard time putting it down. I love that the pace of this book was quick and easy to get into right from the start. It’s not that the entire thing was a string of action-packed events, though it has its fair share of that, but the development of the story and characters throughout was an enjoyable experience in itself. Tessa goes from being a shy, naive girl who just wants to find her brother to a powerful woman who is DUN with people treating her like she’s weak. She has a unique power that is extremely desirable to the “underworlders”, but this leaves Tessa questioning whether or not she’s human and what being human truly means. As for the other characters, Ima try to keep it short:

Will: ugh. This brooding, witty young Shadowhunter is such a fuck boy, but it’s clear that’s just a front and he’s got some demons of his own to battle. So, basically, I love him lol.
Jem: Jem is the sweetest guy ever, and Will’s “battle brother” for lack of remembering the exact term used in the book. Anyway, Jem is empathetic, understanding, and overall just a lovable character that is impossible to dislike. He’s the guy-friend you’d take to a wedding because he can get along with anyone and everybody likes him.
Charlotte: The badass boss of the Institute where they all live. She’s everyone’s “mom” and mentor, and acts as the neutralizer of every situation.
Henry: Charlotte’s husband who likes to tinker with gadgets and demon slaying devices. He’s super aloof which was mildly annoying, but he also comes in clutch when it counts.
Jessamine: A Shadowhunter who cannot be bothered with Shadowhunting. She’s pretty superficial and very focused on appearances - however, there’s definitely more to her that I hope we get to see in the next book, so I’m not writing her off as a petty bitch just yet. :)
Sophie: a queen. I really like this character. She isn’t a Shadowhunter, just the housekeeper of the Institute, but she’s scrappy, resilient, and gives us those good good vibes.

Anyway, I am very excited that I found another YA fantasy series that sucks me in almost as much as Throne of Glass and cannot wait to read the second book!

2021 Book Count: 8 down, 47 to go!

Add me on Goodreads if you haven’t already!

YOUR TURN! Leave a comment below if you’ve read any of these books! I’d love to hear your thoughts or any solid recommendations you may have for books I should add to my reading list for this year!

Witches Brew Wine Review

October 27, 2020 by Haley Burrill in Lifestyle

Fall. Autumn. Harvest. PSL Szn.

Whatever you call it, the best season has finally arrived!

I love the fall.

The weather cools off.
Trees look majestic af changing colors.
Weekends are graced with football - sorry Lions fans. I know this is a tough topic for us. :/
Chunky sweaters, jean jackets, and joggers finally make their debut back into my closet.
Slow cookers full of chilis, soups and dips decorate kitchen counters.
Hocus Pocus memes are plastered on every social media platform.
Pumpkin spice and apple-flavored everything is available.

One key fall feature that tops the list for me though: Leelanau Cellars Witches Brew wine is officially back in-season.

Yes, yes. I know it’s available year round, but there’s just something magical about sipping on a glass of Witches Brew while the leaves are falling outside and you’re enjoying the sweet smells of the new “fall fragrance” Bath & Body Works candle you just bought, even though you still have three untouched from last season, but you had a coupon in your email. :’)

Leelanau Cellars has never steered me wrong and this year, I discovered they added two new flavors to the Witches Brew fam. So, what better way to pay homage to the sweet nectar of All Hallows’ Eve-themed wines that is the Witches Brew Crew than with a blog post?

There’s isn’t a better way. I’m glad you agree. Let’s get started!

OG WITCHES BREW

Color: Red
Sweetness: Definitely a sweet red, but not so sweet that your friend who is partial to red wines as dry as my hands during the winter will say, “Whew! That’s sweet!” (You know the one.)
Flavor notes: Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, one small child (lol jk - that’s the Hocus Pocus Life Potion)
Lit Score: Like a Lays potato chip, you can’t have just one (glass). I have a tendency to start dancing alone in my apartment to a HAIM playlist on Spotify after a couple of glasses of OG WB. So, not only is this wine lit, but you also may get lit. (Please drink responsibly).
My thoughts: I love this wine. Someone recommended it to me in college as a “starter red” because I was trying to get acclimated to red wines and Witches Brew was supposed to be a toe dip into that pool. However, I loved it so much, it became my favorite wine. Honestly, it’s delicious with a charcuterie board, pairs great with pizza, it even compliments a bag of cheese popcorn. You just really can’t go wrong with this wine at any time of the year, but especially during the fall.

WITCHES BREW SPICED APPLE

Color: White
Sweetness: This is definitely on the sweet side, but not to the level of a moscato. Like maybe a few notches down from a moscato. The warmth of its flavors help tone down the sweetness too tho.
Flavor Notes: sweet apples, cinnamon, brown sugar, a warm blanket.
Lit Score: After pouring a glass of this, you will want to take your bra off, curl up with a flannel blanket and start watching some trashy, yet socially acceptable tv show like Love Island or the Bachelorette. So, your plan isn’t to get lit, but just a little warm, yanno? The wine itself is about as lit as “Wine Down Wednesday” - something to appreciate, but it doesn’t need to happen every day.
My Thoughts: If you are a big “spiced apple” fan, I think you’d really like this. Personally, it didn’t blow my mind, but I was definitely glad I tried it! That said, I do think this wine would taste pretty dank in a Halloween sangria. Maybe throw some apple slices and cinnamon sticks in there with some lil caramels as a garnish. That’s some Pinterest shit right there. Yw. :)

WITCHES BREW PUMPKIN SPICE

Color: White
Sweetness: She sweet. Not in a way that makes you feel like your teeth are going to rot or that you’re going to get a headache drinking it, but this one is definitely sweeter.
Flavor Notes: Ginger, apple, clove, a swift kick in the taste buds.
Lit Score: It’s an unexpected lit. You go in thinking it’s going to be a basic pumpkin spice flavor because what else would you expect of something flavored pumpkin spice? However, the first sip and you quickly realize this wine is NOT as kind-hearted as you expected it to be. As for how lit you get, I kept drinking it because I couldn’t decide whether or not I liked it - which warmed me up v quick. (Again, please drink responsibly.)
My Thoughts: If you’re a big ginger fan, then I think you’d really like this wine. She is quite the spicy lil number. I feel like they may have emphasized/over compensated the spices in this wine because there’s technically no pumpkin flavor in it. It starts with sweet apple for sure and then a tidal wave of all the spices crashes down, but the ginger is like “you guys go ahead, ima hang back,” and gives you one last kick before it disappears. But, it’s almost too much of a kick? To me, it kind of brings out the actual alcohol flavor of the wine. Although I still can’t decide if I like it, I definitely respect it and would probs smash a cinnamon roll then wash it down with PS WB.

CONCLUSION

Drink up, witches! Seriously though, if you try any of these wines, I highly recommend the OG WB. I think the spiced apple and pumpkin spice may only be available through the end of October, but don’t quote me on that. In the meantime, how about you leave a comment below answering the following questions:

Which of the Witches Brew Crew is your favorite?
If you end up making the sangria I mentioned, how’d it go? Please send pics.
What’s your favorite part of fall?

Crash Course: Cataplexy

October 10, 2020 by Haley Burrill in Narcolepsy

It's been about ten years since I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy, and though the star of this show is excessive daytime sleepiness, the various symptoms that come with this chronic sleep disorder also put on quite a spectacle.

So, instead of doing one post explaining all of the symptoms, I figured I’d walk you through them separately.

Starting with the most annoying IMO: Cataplexy.

Disclaimer: everything I describe in this post is from my own personal experience. I’m not trying to speak on behalf of all people with narcolepsy (PWN) because everyone experiences symptoms differently and at different degrees - including cataplexy.

WHAT IS CATAPLEXY?

According to the National Sleep Foundation, cataplexy is sudden and uncontrollable muscle weakness or paralysis that comes on during the day and is often triggered by a strong emotion, such as laughter or excitement.

WHY DOES CATAPLEXY HAPPEN?

Cataplexy occurs because of the inability to regulate sleep and awake states (Narcolepsy) - meaning that elements can overlap. During normal rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, there is a natural loss of muscle tone. In the case of cataplexy, that characteristic of REM sleep occurs suddenly during the day, causing weakness or full paralysis, even as the person remains awake during the episode.

(Source: SleepFoundation.org)

WHAT HAPPENS DURING A CATAPLECTIC EPISODE?

Basically, without warning, cataplexy causes me to lose muscle tone - meaning I get a slack jaw, my speech becomes broken and slurred, my knees buckle, and all of the muscles go weak in my neck, face and usually arms.

I’m totally awake and aware of it happening, but I just can’t move. Some PWN will also fall asleep after a cataplectic episode because it’s incredibly draining.

WHAT TRIGGERS IT?

My cataplexy is most commonly triggered when I’m laughing really hard. There have been isolated instances where I’ve been frustrated enough to get it, but it’s mostly when I’m laughing.

Quick tangent: in my junior year of college, we had a period of time where random flies would get into our apartment because our building backed up to a field. Whenever I would go to swat a fly, I immediately got cataplexy. Like literally mid-swing would just crumple like a rag doll. After talking with my doctor about it, she actually found a research article later on this exact topic and it turns out it’s a common occurrence.

Literally, the act of swatting a fly commonly causes PWN to have cataplexy lol. I don’t know why I find that so funny. I think it’s because swatting a fly is so mundane and yet it generates just enough excitement to trigger cataplexy.

Cataplexy feels like one of these old string toys.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE?

The only thing I’ve been able to come up with to describe what it feels like to get cataplexy is comparing it to those old toys we used to have that are like animals made of strings and beads on a platform (pictured above). You push on a button underneath the platform and the animal drops, and then when you let up on the button, it snaps back into formation.

That’s how the sensation of cataplexy feels - like someone pushed on my platform’s button and left me in a pool of string and beads.

It always starts in my face - specifically my eyelids and jaw. My eyelids kind of start to feel like there’s a magnet pulling them down until about halfway, while my jaw goes slack like it’s just hanging there. Super cute, I know.

The loose jaw causes my speech to slur and makes it hard to talk. Honestly, I probably sound drunk like I took some midwestern mom’s “It’s wine o’ clock somewhere” wall decor a little too seriously.

Then follows my neck and shoulders. My shoulders will drop then curl forward while I get that newborn baby, butter-muscle neck. Yanno how a newborn baby can’t lift its own head? That’s me during cataplexy lol. No matter how hard I try to muster up the strength to pick up my head again, my chin stays glued to my chest.

Now if I’m laughing hard enough, then my knees will also buckle. If you’ve ever had someone do that super annoying thing where they come up behind you and push you in the back of your knees when you’re not expecting it, that’s kind of how this feels.

Once the cataplexy has passed, I usually will feel the ramifications of it for about 15-30 minutes after - primarily in my muscles. It kind of feels like that dull ache you get after a super exerting workout. The experience overall is also just really exhausting because so much of your body is suddenly compromised in such a short amount of time.

HOW LONG DOES IT LAST?

Depending how hard I’m laughing, how tired I am, my medication, etc. depends on how long it lasts. On average, I’d say about 30 seconds to a minute is usually how long my cataplexy lasts once it’s triggered.

It’s not something I can just stop on my own though. I literally just have to ride the wave and wait for the cataplexy to pass before my strength comes back.

CONCLUSION

As I mentioned earlier (per my last email (lol jk)), cataplexy is the most annoying symptom in my opinion. It’s exhausting, can be embarrassing and causes quite the inconvenience. Luckily, I haven’t experienced cataplexy in a while due to a nighttime medication I started taking a few years ago.

If you have any questions I didn’t cover in this post, feel free to reach out! I love talking about my experience and am happy to share. Otherwise, please comment below:

If you had one of those string/bead toys as a kid, what was the figure on top?
If you didn’t have one of those string/bead toys as a kid, what year were you born? lol

Press Pause on Overthinking

September 06, 2020 by Haley Burrill in Lifestyle

I’ve always had a bad habit of overanalyzing everything.

It starts as a simple run-through in my brain about a situation, person, etc., and quickly progresses into me picking apart every little inch of it. Usually, I’ll fall into what I like to call “thought circles.” A thought circle is when you’re analyzing the situation yet again and it always starts with the same notion. Then you proceed to follow the same general path of points that you have the last 21,983,920 times you thought about this, and eventually, end up at the same conclusion.

The first chunk of quarantine, I was staying with my parents which was an absolute blessing. On top of the obvious benefits of living with my parents (i.e. not paying for groceries, homemade meals, free laundry, etc.), it was incredibly valuable having other people around for my mental health. Even just for daily interactions, having someone physically in the same vicinity as me was a consistent source of comfort. Plus, if I needed to externally process, all I had to do was find someone to listen.

Since moving back into my 475-square-foot apartment a couple of months ago, the struggle of keeping my mental health pristine and my mind clear has become more difficult without anyone else around. Especially when I found myself quickly falling into a daily habit of overthinking and overanalyzing literally everything.

About a month ago, I decided to find things that can pull me out of my thought circles and put a stop to the mental overload. So, if you’re like me and tend to overthink or overanalyze, I hope one of these tricks will provide you with some brain decongestion.

I am onto my third journal in 3 months because I use this method so much.

JOURNALING

Journaling is one of my absolute favorite methods for finding some peace of mind. It doesn’t even have to be in an actual journal. Just find a pen and some paper and “data dump” literally everything on your mind that’s been distracting you lately.

It doesn’t have to be perfect because you’re the only person who will be reading it. Personally, I like to write as though I’m venting to a friend. Sometimes I slide some third-person reminders/affirmations in there like, “Hales, you’re justified to feel this way. Don’t doubt yourself. Trust your gut.”

Journaling is an incredibly easy way to find some therapeutic release and can help you process anything you’ve felt “stuck” trying to figure out.

Podcasts are an equally great distraction as they are a tool.

PODCASTS AND ACTIVITY

Podcasts are a great way to get you out of your head and focused on something else.

For those of you who haven’t mastered the art of listening to a podcast, I recommend pairing it with an activity that doesn’t require your undivided attention. Personally, I prefer to listen to podcasts while I’m on a long walk outside, cleaning my apartment, cooking dinner, if I have to drive more than an hour somewhere or if I have my window AC unit running and can’t have my TV on at the same time at the risk of blowing a fuse lol.

Plus, whatever is on your mind - career changes, relationships, friendships, etc. - I guarantee there is a podcast out there that discusses that exact topic in detail.

Listening to a podcast related to whatever you’re overthinking may sound counter-intuitive, but it can actually be extremely beneficial. Especially if you’re looking for some validation, guidance, or non-biased insight that can help put your thought circle to rest.

TALK IT OUT

Though sometimes it’s the last thing you want to do, actually talking to someone you trust about everything that’s going on in your mind can help alleviate the mental strain.

I have a few friends who are my go-to confidantes whenever I’ve finally exhausted myself with overthinking. These are people who I know have zero judgements or biases towards what I’m sharing and often point out things I may have overlooked, validate my thoughts or feelings, or just simply listen while I externally process everything out loud until I come to my own final conclusion.

Simply talking it out with someone who knows you best is a great way to feel more clear-minded and less like a hot mess mentally.

FOCUS ON AN ATTENTION-SUCKER

What is something you enjoy doing that you find yourself literally lost in for hours?

Personally, I can get lost in a really great book, going down a YouTube rabbit hole of watching various celebrities eating really spicy chicken wings on Hot Ones, doing a social distancing-friendly outdoor pop-up workout class with friends and blogging (lol spoiler alert that I started writing this blog as a distraction from my overthinking).

So, whether you enjoy LARPing, needle point, slappin’ the bass, doodling, convincing people to vote, or even just binge-watching a series you’ve seen more than 10 times but it still makes you laugh out loud - go lose yourself in it.

It may not help you process whatever is on your mind, but it will at least give you the much-needed mental (and sometimes emotional) break for a while.

The best doodle of a happy brain to represent “mental calm” that I could muster. :)

FINAL THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS

If you can relate to the never-ending thought circles, I hope a couple of these methods help you press pause on your overthinking.

Now it’s your turn. Please comment:

Any techniques you use to simmer down your overthinking
Your favorite podcast/podcast recs
One thing you are grateful for today :)

Quarantine Reads

May 15, 2020 by Haley Burrill in Books

It’s officially week 8 (or maybe 9?) of the Rona wreaking havoc on us, and it would be rude of me not to start this post by saying I hope you’re all staying safe, healthy and AT HOME. Please for the love of all that is good, stay home.

Around mid-March, I temporarily moved home with my parents to avoid being cooped up in a small apartment talking to no one but myself and my houseplants. Not to mention, our golden retriever resides at my parents’ house and that’s the kind of energy I’m trying to surround myself with right now.

When I’m not on that WFH grind, meeting an unspoken quota for baking banana bread, or watching Schitt’s Creeks, I’ve been reading like I’ve never read before.

In the last eight (or nine?) weeks, I’ve read TWELVE books. TWELVE. I know that doesn’t seem that impressive for those of you who are already avid readers, but I just caught the reading bug last fall, so this is a big deal for me.

Seeing as I haven’t blogged since January, I figured I’d review my quarantine reads in case you’re looking for some recommendations.

Two shameless plugs before I get started on this book-inspired blog:

-ADD ME ON GOODREADS. :)

-Go find my friend, Caili, who created the thumbnail image for this post at Dilly Dalian on Etsy!

Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

RATING: 3/5 stars

SUMMARY*: Where’d You Go Bernadette is about a woman named Bernadette Fox who disappeared after a school fundraiser turns into a shit show on account of Bernadette’s doings. Her daughter, Bee, is left piecing together clues as to what happened by means of emails, letters, invoices, etc. to figure out where her mother went right before the family was supposed to go on a trip to Antarctica in celebration of Bee’s good grades.

MY THOUGHTS: Bernadette is a burned out architect who just mf snapped at some point after this giant sustainability project (Greta woulda loved it) she was working on for years went awry, and fell into some hella anxiety and depression. The author kind of wants you to have your cake and eat it too when it comes to this character, so I was stuck trying to decide if I liked her or just found her to be low-key savage and high-key flaky. This book also pokes fun at the “Seattle Freeze” and people trying to climb the social ladder - which was equally entertaining as it was annoying. I did NOT like the husband, Elgie. He was a mansplainer and womanizer and he never wears shoes….?? Overall, this was a quirky little book. Would I read it again? No. Would I recommend it to someone? Not organically. If you asked me if I recommend it specifically, I’d say it was all right and I wasn’t disappointed that I read it, but it also didn’t make the top of my list by any means.

I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

RATING: 5/5 stars

SUMMARY*: At first, Jude and her twin brother, Noah are inseparable. Noah is always lost in his art, drawing anything and everything while falling in love with the charming baseball boy who moves in next door. Jude is a rebellious young teen who enjoys cliff diving, talking to older boys, and wearing outfits that would make any midwest dad say “and where do you think you’re going dressed like that?” Fast forward three years and these twins are barely interacting - cordial at best. The early years are told from Noah’s perspective and the later years are through Jude’s eyes. Each one only has half of the story, and once they start growing closer again, they realize what they were missing.

MY THOUGHTS: This book is technically classified as YA and I’m convinced it’s because if anyone asks if they should read it, the only response should be “HELL YA.” This is the type of book that gives you an instant book hangover once you’re finished because you just wanted it to continue. The style of writing used to tell Noah’s perspective truly reflects how immersed he is in his art all the while he experiences what it feels like to fall in love for the first time. The author then catapults you to a different reality as the story fast forwards three years to Jude’s perspective when she falls in love with an intriguing British boy (YASS, sis) who she meets through an unexpected mentor. Though Noah and Jude are completely different, both characters add such complexity and depth to the story line that you can’t help but love them both and hope they find their way. I absolutely loved this book and feel like I completely tanked on this review, so just walk away knowing that you should add this to your reading list.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

RATING: 5/5 stars

SUMMARY *: “Le Cirque des Reves” only shows up at night without warning. Within the black and white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. Behind the scenes though, a fierce competition between two young magicians - Celia and Marco - is underway. The circus is the stage for this remarkable battle, and despite them falling in love, only one can be left standing.

MY THOUGHTS: This wasn’t just a book, this was an experience. There’s something extremely magical about how this book makes you feel, and as I finished the last page, I knew it had already made it into my top 5 favorite books of all time. The story of Celia and Marco starts thirty years before they are even born with a challenge between their mentors — two arrogant illusionists who have spent a lifetime trying to one-up the other (no shock that they’re men lol). Celia and Marco pretty much spend most of their childhood into adolescence preparing for this competition, but they don’t know who they’re competing against or when it actually begins (I’d be flipping tables). Their preparation for the battle nodded to the ole “book smarts vs. street smarts” debate. Celia’s mentor, who is also her dad, pulls some real suspect shit to train her. For example, when she’s just a CHILD, one exercise he had was slicing her fingertips open one by one with a knife until she could heal her skin from within. In contrast, Marco’s mentor plucks him from an orphanage and tells him to study books, ancient magic, etc. for preparation. I was an absolute sap for the undeniable connection between Marco and Celia as their battle quickly becomes years of “love letters” to each other in the form of new circus attractions. My haven’t-been-in-a-relationship-in-two-years heart could NOT handle the sentiment. The author also managed to include multiple characters that added depth to the storyline without muddying it up which I feel is hard to do. So, in conclusion, please read this so I have someone else to talk to about it. :)

The Orphan’s Tale by Pam Jenoff

RATING: 3.5/5 stars

SUMMARY*: Set in a traveling circus during World War II, two extraordinary women endure sacrifice and survival while developing an unexpected friendship. After being kicked out of her home for disgracing her family by getting pregnant, 16-year-old Noa has to give up her baby and ends up working at a railway station. Noa discovers a boxcar full of Jewish infants, snags one on impulse and flees. She finds refuge with a German circus, but to blend in undetected and receive protection, she must learn the flying trapeze act from lead aerialist, Astrid. As the facade protects them, Noa and Astrid must decide if their friendship can save one another.

MY THOUGHTS: All right. So quick preface, the only reason I read this is because my mom and I agreed to do a book swap (I had her read Night Circus.) Welp, after all was said and done, it turned out this isn’t even the book she wanted me to read! I was Susan-ed. Regardless, I liked this book overall. Noa is an okay character. She’s immature as you would expect and falls in love with some privileged blonde boy. The real queen in this story is Astrid. You can just tell she would be an A-plus wingwoman, but also try to fight any guy at the bar that makes an unwanted pass at you. My friend crush aside, this book was an easy read and would be good if you’re in-between books, just looking for something to pass the time until you can decide what the next book is that you want to read.

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

RATING: 3/5 stars

SUMMARY*: Murder, magic and madness at the fair that changed America as it rushed towards the 20th century. The author gives a rich narrative of the Chicago World Fair and how a master builder and murder were both obsessed with it. You follow the roller coaster ride of architect Daniel Hudson Burnham as he pulls off the country’s most important structures for this event. While the murderer, Henry H. Holmes, builds a “World’s Fair Hotel” just walking distance from the fairgrounds - a torture hotel complete with a dissection table and kiln for bodies in the basement.

MY THOUGHTS: In my unpopular opinion, this book was just all right. It was really hyped up to me by a few people and a podcast I listen to, so the bar was set high. Due to Rona, I even BOUGHT this book which I think contributes to the level of petty I’m including in my review of it. Don’t get me wrong, this book was INCREDIBLY researched - seriously, hats off the to author who you can tell worked his ass off to gather sources for accuracy. HOWEVER, this shit took me TWO weeks to read because it was such a slow burn. The whole serial killer part was intriguing, yes. All of the name-drops in relation to the Chicago World Fair were impressive as well (even Walt Disney’s dad had a little sum sum to do with it). At the end of the day though, I’m not rushing to recommend this book to anyone. I think it’d be a lot more interesting if you're from Chicago and/or have lived there for at least a year. Other than that, it was a super lukewarm read for me.

Open Book by Jessica Simpson

RATING: 5/5 stars

SUMMARY*: J. Simpson tells of growing up in 1980s Texas and dishes everything from experiencing a traumatic sexual abuse to unsuccessfully auditioning for the Mickey Mouse Club before going on to sign a record deal with Columbia and marrying Nick Lachey. Along the way she details the struggles in her life including her divorce, enduring an emotionally abusive relationship, being body-shamed, and going through rough patches of heavy drinking.

MY THOUGHTS: By no means was I a Jessica Simpson fan before reading this book. I remember watching the Newlyweds on MTV when I was younger, but it’s not like she ever really made it into the regular CD rotation of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Backstreet Boys that graced my boombox. However, after reading this book, I have so much respect for this woman. Sis, left no tea unspilt. Reading this book felt like I was grabbing drinks with an old friend on a sunny patio outside of a bar that somehow successfully incorporated square-dancing into their Thursday night specials. I read a lot of celebrity memoirs and this was by far one of my top three favorites. Highly recommend. Also, John Mayer is a piece of shit for how he treated her - do not @ me.

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

RATING: 4.8/5 stars

SUMMARY*: This powerful novel tells a captivating story of two very different women who build an unexpected friendship: a 91-year-old woman, Vivian, with a hidden past as an orphan train rider, and an 18-year-old girl, Molly, whose own troublesome adolescence leaves her with one last chance before aging out of the child welfare system and getting kicked out of her foster home. As Molly picks up a community service position to help an elderly woman clean out her attic, she quickly discovers while sorting through Vivan’s old trunks and boxes that they aren’t as different as they seem.

MY THOUGHTS: So, circling back around on the orphan-themed books, this was the book my mom intended for our book swap when she accidentally gave me “The Orphan’s Tale” - which has a train on the cover lol. I cried twice while reading this and I pride myself on not being an easy crier. What i found most interesting about this novel was that orphan trains actually existed back in the early 1900s. The urban orphanages would round up all of the homeless children in the big cities, clean them up, and put them on a train out to the rural communities where people would pick kids out of a line up to adopt. It was the luck of the draw whether the people they went with were going to be good people or just use the kids for labor- which was more common than not. I have to agree with my mom that it’s a really great book and kept me hooked throughout the whole story.

Educated by Tara Westover

RATING: 5/5 stars

SUMMARY*: In her memoir, Tara Westover describes what it was like to be born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho where she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills” bag. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that they believed in holistic, herbal remedies over western medicine (even for the most traumatic injuries) and there was no one to ensure the kids received an education. This memoir is an account of the struggle for self-invention and the battle of staying loyal to family or severing those ties for your own good.

MY THOUGHTS: Shit. Was. CRAZY. I swear after finishing every chapter, my jaw was another inch closer to the floor. The trauma this woman endured FROM HER OWN FAMILY was absolutely insane, and the fact that she was able to persevere as much as she did to escape the only life she knew was nothing short of incredible. I don’t want to spoil too much by sharing what one of my biggest takeaways was for this book, so if you read it, hit me up so we can talk! :)

Matchmaking for Beginners by Maddie Dawson

RATING: 4/5 stars

SUMMARY*: Marnie McGraw wants an ordinary life - a husband, kids and a minivan in the suburbs. Now that she’s marrying the man of her dreams, she’s sure this is the life she’ll get. Until everything changes when Marnie meets Blix Holliday, her fiancé’s matchmaking great-aunt who’s dying. When Marnie’s marriage ends after two miserable weeks, she is shocked. She’s even more shook when she learns she has inherited Blix’s building in Brooklyn along with all of Blix’s unfinished projects, oddball friends and neighbors running from happiness.

MY THOUGHTS: This book was recommended by one of my favorite book-focused podcasts: Bad on Paper and it did not disappoint. Marnie is in her mid-20s and is just a shit-show for much of the first part of the book which is a vibe I can relate to lol. Her whole situation was just a really great reminder that no matter how planned-out you may have your life at the moment, it could literally change tomorrow and you’re going to have to get your shit together and figure it out. As someone who doesn’t do well when I don’t feel in control of things, the lesson here was definitely something I absorbed. I absolutely loved Blix’s character! I kept picturing her as an overly eccentric Jamie Lee Curtis and her lifestyle is something I think more of us need to embrace — just calm the fuck down, enjoy the moment you’re in and let life play out as it’s meant to. Highly recommend this book! It was light, breezy and just made me really happy while reading it. :)

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

RATING: 3.5/5 stars

SUMMARY*: When Jacob Jankowski learns his parents have died suddenly in a car crash, he finds himself adrift and jumping onto a passing train which he quickly learns is that of a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression. As a veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. While he learns how to connect with an elephant, Rosie, who appears to be untrainable, he falls in love with Marlena - the young star of the equestrian act and married to the twisted animal trainer.

MY THOUGHTS: Jacob and Marlena’s forbidden love story was cute, but I also wanted to punch Jacob in his face a few times. He had this habit of doing dumb shit that would OBVIOUSLY get him in trouble if he wasn’t careful and yet he’d go ahead and do it anyway. Obviously I have read my fair share of circus-related books over the last two months and though this book wasn’t my favorite of that litter, it was an easy read. If you’ve been wanting to read it, then I say go for it, but I don’t see myself reading this again anytime soon.

Regretting You by Colleen Hoover

RATING: 4.3/5 stars

SUMMARY*: After a tragic and questionable accident, Morgan Grant and her 16-year-old daughter, Clara are left to rebuild everything that crashed down around them. They would like nothing more than to be nothing alike. Morgan is determined to prevent Clara from making the same mistakes she did - including a teen pregnancy that made Morgan put her dreams on hold. Clara doesn’t want to follow in her mother’s footsteps and risk being predictable or un-spontaneous. Resentment and misunderstandings make them fall further apart every day to the point that it may be impossible to fall back together.

MY THOUGHTS: Colleen Hoover has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her books are always captivating and I can usually fly through them in about a day or two. Regretting You was another testament to her amazing writing. The fact that I could physically feel every emotion the characters were going through as I was reading made the experience of this book even more entrancing. Though it begins with an absolute tragedy that progresses with heartbreak after heartbreak, you can’t help but to cling to the moments of hope, warmth and peace that are sprinkled throughout for each of the characters. Highly recommend this book and any other novels by Colleen Hoover.

The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

RATING: 2/5 stars

SUMMARY*: Agreeing to be the last-minute wedding date of a guy she gets stuck in an elevator with is something Alexa Monroe would not normally do. After Alexa and Drew have more fun than ever thought possible at his ex’s wedding, they cannot stop thinking about each other. These two high-powered professionals are on a collision course toward a long distance dating disaster or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they actually want.

MY THOUGHTS: This wasn’t as bad as a one-star rating (hence 2 stars) but dear lort, I do not recommend this book. I heard about it from a few of my friends which is why I decided to give it a whirl, but the best way I can describe how it felt reading it was like watching a B-Rated/straight-to-DVD movie. The concept of Alexa and Drew falling in love with people they didn’t expect and found by happenstance was cute. However, only the first quarter of the book is about the actual wedding date, and then a solid 30-40% of it is literally just descriptions of what they’re eating for their next meal or snack (tacos, In N Out, cheese and crackers, doughnuts or pizza). Then two pages later, they’re having sex or vis versa. Rinse and repeat. The supporting story around the “romance” of this novel was subpar, jumpy and mildly annoying. They also have communication skills comparable to that of some kids in high school who don’t know how or when to DTR (define the relationship). I will say, I have a friend who really enjoys this author’s books, so if you’ve read/enjoyed other books by her, you might like this one, but I’m personally not recommending it to anyone.

Well, folks. That concludes my Quarantine Reads rundown. If you’ve made it this far, thank you (seriously thank you for making it through all of that) and I hope you’ve found some books to add to your reading list (or maybe remove lol).

If you’ve read any books recently that you think I’d enjoy, please let me know in the comments! :D

*Summary was paraphrased from the Book Description on Goodreads.

The Athleisure Movement

January 19, 2020 by Haley Burrill in Lifestyle

I am a strong believer/supporter/advocate of athlesiure.

Everyone has career goals and one of mine is to work for an organization that allows me to wear athleisure everyday because, let’s be honest, nothing stumps creativity or a good mood more than starchy dress pants that don’t allow you to bloat like your lunch intended.

Let’s get one thing clear too. Athleisure does not mean your bag-lady sweat pants that you should have thrown out years ago because you can hear the elastic crackle a little bit, but have also developed an emotional connection to, so you keep them in your drawer anyway. Nor does it mean your old college sweats and tee shirts (unless they’re in good condition. Clearly, subjective guidelines).

Athleisure is the quality joggers, leggings, sweatshirts, etc. that are comfortable to wear, can be dressed up with non-athleisure pieces such as a jean jackets, heeled booties, etc. Honestly, when I’m not being an extreme introvert acting like I’m 85 vs. 25, I opt for wearing athleisure to social events like the bar. Yeah, I said it. I wear athleisure to the bar. Hell, I’d even wear athleisure on a date. It’s cute, it’s comfy - when are you not taking a W by wearing athleisure??

Benefits of athleisure:

Comfortable yet fashionable.
Relaxed fit - won’t ride up
Can be worn at the gym and in the streets - meaning you can wear it for more than just one setting/occasion (side eye to bridesmaid dresses)
Flexible - will stretch with your bloat or whatever else you’re doing.
Moisture wicking and breathable - nothing is more uncomfortable than when you’re pitting out in a cute top, so you have to just make sure you’re keeping your arms down as much as possible to try not to draw attention to the GIANT sweat circles forming in your underarm area.

As an athleisure connoisseur, I’ve tried my fair share of brands over the years and have built a pretty solid roster of reliable favorites. So, if you’ve been interested in adopting the athleisure lifestyle but aren’t sure where to start, I recommend the following brands.

Note: I’m a pretty frugal person, but I’m also an impulsive buyer (retail therapy ¯\_(ツ)_/¯), so some of these brands I stumbled upon by chance and others I’ve found at my go-to stores.

MPG SPORT

WEBSITE: www.mpgsport.com

PRICE: $$ - Their regular-priced items can be a smidge pricy depending on how much your budget allots. For example, most of their leggings (WHICH MOST ALSO HAVE POCKETS, HELLER?) range in price from about $54 - $70. However, they often have sales/clearance items that bring down the price quite a bit and make this brand quite affordable. Highly recommend following MPG Sport on Instagram because that’s where they promote their sales.

WHAT I OWN (examples below): several pairs of leggings (the coach and roster 7/8 leggings with pockets are my fave), four pairs of joggers, two sports bras, a couple pairs of shorts, two or three pairs of nicer pants that I can wear to work or out with friends, and a winter coat (not technically athleisure but worth mentioning).

HOW I FOUND THEM: About a year ago, I bought a pair of leggings from TJ Maxx that I found myself wearing pretty regularly. Then one night, it dawned on me that I didn’t know what brand had created my new favorite leggings. Thus, my love for MPG Sport was born.

WHAT THEY OFFER: They have a variety of options for both men and women. As I mentioned above, they offer more than just workout-related items, I have about 2-3 other pairs of pants that are made of an athleisure material, but are dressy enough that I can wear them to work (see below). They also offer a ton of cute tops, jumpsuits and dresses (depending on the season), sweaters and cardigans, jackets and coats, and select accessories.

CONCLUSION: This brand has quickly become my go-to and a staple in my wardrobe. As Ms. Norbury once said, “I’m a pusher, Cady.” I literally push all of my friends to try this brand because I love it so much, and one who actually bought leggings texted me, verbatim, “Nike who? Lululemon who?” after receiving hers in the mail. So, like, yeah - highly recommend giving them a try.

Left: the athleisure material pants that I can dress up enough to wear to work. Right: some of my favorite leggings.

90 DEGREE BY REFLEX

Website: 90degreebyreflex.com

PRICE: $-$$$ - I have never purchased anything directly from 90 Degree by Reflex because TJ Maxx carries this brand which makes it substantially more affordable and why I gave the price point rating a range. Scrolling through their website, it looks like regular priced items are between $25-110 - depending on what you’re buying - but their sale items cut those prices down to anywhere from $15-40. Plus, as I just mentioned, you can usually find this brand pretty easily at TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, etc., for hella low prices, so I recommend starting there if you’re interested in giving this brand a try.

WHAT I OWN (examples below): various types of leggings and a couple pairs of shorts. I also found a really nice cowl neck sweatshirt that is one of my favorite “fancy” sweatshirts to wear if I’m going to lunch with friends, shopping, etc. There’s only a few pairs of 90 Degree by Reflex leggings that I own that I will actually wear to work out - the rest I just wear casually.

HOW I FOUND THEM: Just like literally any other girl who is balling on a budget, but wants to find a quality pair of leggings that won’t break down quickly nor turn see-through, I discovered this brand at TJ Maxx when I was in high school. Though that was light years ago, I’m pleased to report that they still carry it in 2020.

WHAT THEY OFFER: 90 Degree by Reflex offers a variety of options for women and men (and kids if you have those lol). Most of what they offer is what’s in your typical athleisure line-up: leggings, shorts, joggers, sports bras, tanks, sweatshirt pullovers, etc. They also offer plus size options in leggings, shorts and some jackets.

CONCLUSION: This is a great brand to have as part of your athleisure artillery as it’s good quality and will last quite a few years. It’s also super accessible if you’re a frequenter of TJ Maxx. Initially, I didn’t necessarily go actively looking for this brand, but 90 Degree by Reflex has become pretty dominant in my athleisure apparel.

Left: a pair of my tried and true 90 Degree by Reflex leggings. Right: the light gray cowl neck sweatshirt ft. Sunday morning groutfit.

BALANCE ATHLETICA

Website: www.balanceathletica.com

PRICE: $$-$$.5. I’m giving this brand a little tougher of a rating (two dollar signs to two and a half dollar signs lol) because although their leggings range between $75-80 - which isn’t much different from the two brands above - they have shorts and sports bras that are priced between $45-53, and to my cheap ass, that is just a little lofty.

WHAT I OWN (examples below): three pairs of leggings, but two are definitely some of the coolest leggings I own because they’re leopard and snake skin print. The seams on their leggings are also incredibly flattering because they cut down in a V on the butt to help accentuate the curves of your booty. The waistband also comes up pretty high which holds in everything you need them to without rolling down.

HOW I FOUND THEM: This is kind of a long story, so I’m going to try to make it short, even though brief storytelling is not in my skill set lolz. In 2018, I reconnected with an acquaintance from college who introduced me to this high-quality supplement brand. This person got free shipping for being an affiliate of sorts, but communication ended between us. Therefore, I searched for other people on Instagram who were also affiliated with this brand, so that I could continue to get free shipping (lol) and found a fitness influencer named Taylor. She, her husband and sister had been developing Balance Athletica for a few years, and when I discovered her Instagram was around the same time of their first collection launch. The end. Boom. 125 words or less. In your face, brevity.

WHAT THEY OFFER: Balance Athletica offers a variety clothing for both men and women. Since it’s a newer brand, they don’t have an endless supply available on their website at all times like bigger brands. Instead, they start sharing information about the new collection about a month or so in advance and have a limited stock available prior to the launch. The launch date is usually announced on the Balance Athletica Instagram and then leading up to the launch, they feature all of the pieces of the collection on various body types, in different settings, etc. That said, there have been collections that were so popular and sold out so quickly, that Balance Athletica did an additional pre-order launch to give people a second chance if they weren’t able to order from the initial launch. Although I only own leggings, you can also purchase joggers, shorts, tanks, sports bras, sweatshirts, cropped compression shirts, zip-ups, etc.

CONCLUSION: Though it’s a newer brand and you have to keep an eye on when the next collection launches, the quality and style of Balance Athletica’s pieces make it totally worth it. I feel like I’m seeing more women my age following this brand on Instagram, so it’s definitely growing quickly in popularity - I’m sure the fitness influencers who are also brand ambassadors for them has something to do with that awareness. If you’re looking for some unique pieces to add to your athleisure wardrobe, I highly recommend taking a peek at Balance Athletica.

Left: black Balance Athletica leggings. Notice the high waistband. Right: the leopard print leggings I bought from the Kingdom Collection.

Though my athleisure wear is full of other brands, MPG Sport, 90 Degree by Reflex and Balance Athletica have quickly become my favorite. Hopefully, this helped you realize the level of comfort missing from your life that is athleisure. Especially if you’re one of those serial killer types that can take a NAP IN JEANS and PREFERS to wear jeans when you’re just hanging out with friends. Like who are you and why are you the way that you are…???????

Let me know your favorite athleisure brands or if you give any of the above a try!

Pz.

Money Talk$

October 08, 2019 by Haley Burrill

This October officially marks three years that I’ve been with the credit union, and the last 36 months have taught me a lot, both personally and professionally. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned while working in the financial industry, though, it’s how much people in their early-mid 20s don’t know about money management unless they work in the financial industry.

Money is literally always on people’s minds. I mean not to quote Luda, but Ima quote Luda: “I got my mind on my money, money on my mind.” Most of the time when people are thinking about money, it’s because they’re stressing about it. I mean who can blame us? It puts a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs and a smart phone in our hands, amiright? People are even shouting out of windows about it - “IT’S MY MONEY AND I WANT IT NOW.” (plz lol at that.)

Luckily, as the copywriter/social media manager/communications hub at a credit union, I’ve had to write my fair share of educational material about managing your finances. As a result, I’ve picked up a lot of helpful information, tips and tricks as it relates to your dollar dollar bills, y’all and making sure you’re making the most of them. So, let’s have some fun with finances.

I feel like I have to do a disclaimer here though, I am in no way qualified to give anyone financial advice. These are just tidbits of info and tricks that I’ve learned over the last three years that you may find interesting/helpful. So, take them with a grain of salt.

BUDGETING LIKE A BO$$

Let’s start by bringing it back to the basics.

You should have one financial goal every month: do not spend more than you earn.

Simple enough, right?

Right. Now, let me ask you this, do you know how much you spend each month compared to what you’re bringing in? It’s easy to say you have an idea of how much you’re spending each month, but have you ever actually sat down and wrote out all of your expenses?

Fun fact: it is recommended that everyone have at least three months worth of living expenses saved and available at any given time. That’s right. Meaning you have enough money to cover three months worth of rent/mortgage payments, utilities, groceries, phone bill, cable/internet expenses, etc. This is also known as a rainy day fund.

Knowing exactly how much you need each month for expenses is the first step to building a budget because then you can literally see on paper how much you’re dishing out each month on a baseline level. You can even break it into different expense groups to make it easier:

Fixed expenses are expenses that typically cost the same month over month. For example, cable bill, rent, Spotify subscription, etc.
Variable expenses are expenses that do tend to change in cost from month to month, but you have some sort of control over them. For example: groceries, gas, eating out, entertainment, etc.
Periodic expenses are expenses that happen a couple times a year. For example: paying for this semester’s tuition, renewing your license tabs, etc.

Be honest with yourself when writing out your monthly budget. This will help when you start to see areas that you may have been underestimating and need to make changes to decrease your expenses. You might even have to make the near-impossible decision between choosing just one of your streaming subscriptions such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, but if it saves you even $20 per month, that’s an extra $240 in your pocket per year. The other option is to increase your income instead of cutting your expenses which may mean picking up an extra job or side hustle.

Some quick tips to re-evaluate your spending habits:

Aim for one no-spend day per week (or month if you need time to adjust), meaning you don’t spend any money for the entire day.
Use only cash for certain budget categories such as your pumpkin spice latte fixes. Swiping your debit or credit card is easy because you don’t see the money leave your account. Physically handing the money over will make you more conscious of what you’re spending.
Allocate a set amount of cash per week for spending on specific expense categories. For example, give yourself $30 at the start of the week for eating out. Once that $30 is gone because you’ve spent it on three lunches with your coworkers, that’s it. You don’t spend any more money on eating out for the week.

Unfortunately, we can’t all be Ariana Grande and afford to buy anything we want (nor can we be one of the lucky seven who got a ring from her), but building a solid budget and re-evaluating our spending habits is a great place to start. :)

GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT

The next biggest piece that goes into rocking out your finances as a 20-something, is understanding credit cards and scores.

Let me start by saying, I think the credit card industry is a complete sham that has gotten so big, there’s literally no way it will regress any time soon. You have to borrow at some point in time to generate a credit score, because believe it or not, credit scores are used for more than just determining whether your not you’re a liability for a financial institution when applying for loans. They can also be a determining factor when applying for housing such as an apartment and some employers even look at it during the hiring process.

Therefore, if you didn’t already guess, keeping your credit score healthy is vital. So, whether you just have one credit card or eight (please, do not have eight credit cards), you may be able to benefit from the info and tips below.

Only use your credit card for specific expenses. I only use my credit card for gasoline, medication and other health-related expenses such as doctor’s appointments and gym memberships. By limiting the expenses you can use your credit card for, you’re less likely to develop the habit of starting to swipe it mindlessly and can keep your balance low while building a healthy credit score. Try ask yourself before you swipe it, “Can I pay this off tomorrow?” If not, then put the card away.
Never allow your balance to exceed 30% of your total allotted limit. For example, if the limit on your credit card is $1,000, you should never allow your balance to exceed $300. This can negatively impact your credit score if your balance is more than 30% of your total limit when any of the three credit reporting bureaus report your score for the month which leads me to the next point.
There isn’t a specific day or time of the month when the credit bureaus report your score. That’s right. The three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) all report on different days every month. Meaning, one might report on the 12th one month then the 17th the next. It’s always changing and there’s no way for you to know when, so keep your balance below 30% the total limit.
Always pay more than the minimum. The minimum payment is the mean girl of your credit card experience. In the words of Regina George, “This girl is the nastiest skank bitch, I’ve ever met. DO NOT TRUST HER.” The minimum payment seems super nice by giving you the option of paying way less than your total balance, but she’s literally THE WORST. Like she’s the fakest bitch ever and will cost you way more in the long run because of all the interest that you end up owing on that balance you haven’t paid down. I’m not saying you have to literally pay the entire balance every month (though you should), but definitely pay more than the minimum.
Do not close the credit cards you’ve had open for a long time. Your credit score is calculated by five factors, one being the length of your credit history. The credit bureaus will look at the age of your oldest credit account, newest credit account, and the average age of all your credit accounts. So, what does this mean? Say you’ve had a credit card for five years. If you decide you’re going to close that credit card for whatever reason, you will lose the credit history you built up with that card which can be detrimental to your credit score.
Keep track of your credit score. You can use free services such as Credit Karma (they have an app!) to keep track of your credit score. I know, this is scary, kind of like looking at your account balance on Sunday to see how much you actually spent at the bars this weekend, but keeping an eye on your credit score can also help fraud prevention. STRANGER DANGER, amiright?
Do your research and read the fine print. The average rate of credit cards in the United States right now is around 17% APR. SEVENTEEN. What in the fresh hell is that??? Make sure you’re doing your research before applying for a credit card to find the best rate and benefits (ex: cash back, air miles, etc.) that are right for you. Also, read the fine print. Some companies will make everything seem great until you accidentally miss ONE payment and then all of a sudden your interest goes from 12% to 24%. This is real and it happens.

I think that’s all I’ve got for this section, but yeah. Tread carefully with credit accounts. :)

INVESTING. THAT’S IT. THAT’S THE SECTION.

Lets talk about investing. To be honest, this is the topic I know least about and I mostly only know about investing as it relates to retirement. So, this is going to be an extremely short/brief section. :)

Even if you’re paying off debt, still opt into your employer’s 401k program. You don’t have to contribute an excessive amount to your 401k or a Roth IRA, but you should contribute something.
Try to contribute enough for your employer match. Whether your employer automatically contributes to your 401k or not, most employers who offer a 401k also offer a matching program up to a certain percent. For example, your employer may match 1% up to 5%. So, if you contribute 5 percent (the max match) to your 401k and they match that 5%, you’re getting 10% invested in your 401k each month. That will help grow your retirement savings a lot quicker.
Always increase your contribution percentage when you’re given an increase to your salary/wages. If you received a 4% increase, then you may want to consider putting 2% of that towards your 401k or Roth IRA. Yes, it’d be nicer to see all of that increase hit your paycheck each week - especially if you’re a frugal bitch like me who also finds herself spending hella dollars on shit I don’t need at Target - but, investing some of that raise into your retirement savings will make your future self thank you.

Welp. I think that’s all I’ve got for you. Like I said at the beginning, I am in no way qualified to give anyone financial advice. So, just take all of this with a grain of salt. This was honestly less of advice and more just me feeling I needed to let the world of 20-somethings know all the things we don’t know. Ya know?

If you have any questions, I suggest sitting down with your local credit union’s financial education specialist or wealth management specialists to get some qualified advice. :)

The Dry Shampoo Review

June 30, 2019 by Haley Burrill in Beauty

Two things I have grown to be very grateful for are softened water and quality water pressure in the shower.

Growing up, my hair was always quite thick, no matter the length. My senior year of high school was when it was at its prime. It was one of the longest I’ve ever grown my hair out, and it had volume for dayzzz. (See mildly awkward photo below.)

Ah, yes. The wonderful phase I went through being obsessed with Photo Booth on my (then) new MacBook Pro.

My senior year of high school would be the last year my hair would be blessed with softened city water that left minimal, if any, mineral build up on my hair.

College hit ya girl’s mane hard. I lived in the Towers at CMU - Wheeler, if we’re being specific - and besides sharing a room the size of some people’s walk in closet with three other roommates, the water in the shower was incredibly unforgiving. For starters, it was Mount Pleasant water which is CHALKED FULL of minerals that absolutely brought the beat down on my hair - just dropping bows on it. What was once soft hair was now dry as fuck and the volume that had once inflated my hair (and clearly my ego) every day was no where to be found.

Unfortunately, even though I moved from the dorms to Copper Beech apartments for the remainder of my time at CMU, I could not escape the rock water (that’s my geology joke of the day, you’re welcome). Therefore, to combat this water from absolutely ruining my hair, I started spacing hair washes from every day to every other day.

Fast forward three years and I now live in an apartment building that was built in the 1950s. I have outlets on the walls that are only two-prong. Let me say that again, I HAVE TWO-PRONGED OUTLETS. Now, you may be asking, is that up to code? Well, I’m glad you asked because I ask the same question practically every time I see the head maintenance guy, Craig. They claim it technically is because they’ve added various three-prong outlets with the little circuit breaker buttons in the middle to a few walls of my apartment… I also have an Edison bulb circuit breaker, if you know what that is. Anyway, in addition to the building being older than my mother, my pipes have seen better days. The amount of rust that is surrounding the little openings on my shower head is too much for comfort. So, we’ve graduated from mineral-saturated, unsoftened water to rusty, unsoftened water…

To prevent this water doing a number to my hair even more than it already has, I have adopted a "twice is nice” strategy where I only wash my hair twice a week.

That’s right. Two days. Per week. Do I wash my hair.

Actually, today (Sunday) was the first day since last Tuesday that I washed my hair.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably having the same reaction I usually get when I tell people I only wash my hair twice a week….

You shouldn’t tell people that.

Lol. Jk.

Most people ask, how? How am I able to go 3-4 days at a time without washing my hair and still prevent it from getting greasy, matted, etc.

Well, my friends, the secret to my sauce includes the following:

Strategically spacing out washing my hair to the days I know I’ll be sweating profusely
Dry shampoo

That’s it. I’ve been doing this for about 2.5 years now and personally, I think it’s working out pretty well. My hair has been responding positively to it, and it’s been a somewhat fun adventure playing with a bunch of different hair styles between washes to get volume or hide the grease.

So, for those of you who have been thinking about cutting back on your washes, but aren’t sure where to start, I’m here to help. You know your schedule better than anyone, so start by noticing the days you’re sweating more than others. For example, if you do cardio on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, then maybe you try to wash your hair those days.

As for the dry shampoo part of all of this, ya girl has gone through her fair share of dry shampoo brands. Most that I’ve used are pretty reasonably priced and available at local drugstores or grocery stores. So, before you feel like you’re going to have to test out a ton of brands to you find one you like, I’ve already done a lot of the leg work for you. You’re welcome. :)

Below, in mostly chronological order by when I used them, are all of the brands I’ve tried enough times to provide a what I would consider an honest, solid review. :)

Aussie, 7 in 1 Total Miracle Dry Shampoo

This was one of the very first dry shampoos I ever used. Now, I do want to note that the dust around the top of the can is not from the dry shampoo. It’s literally just dust lol. I haven’t used this can in a while but I keep it around in case I’m in a pinch and unfortunately, when they re-coated my shower with this white sealant stuff last summer, it sprayed a thin dusting all over everything in my bathroom. So ignore the dust. I also will say it’s been probably about a year or so since I’ve used this, so I’m using what I have from my memory on the review below.

PRICE: Around $5-6 depending on where you buy it.

PROS:

Smells good - it has a sweeter scent that isn’t overpowering, but also will cover the smell of “dirty head” (if you know, you know.) I feel like the scent wouldn’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but I like it.
Affordable
Available at most stores like Walgreens and Meijer
Doesn’t leave white residue in your hair as long as you work it through really well

CONS:

Although it doesn’t leave a ton of white residue, it does cause my hair to become piece-y or chunky after more than one use, which is one of the reasons why I started trying out other brands. My hair didn’t necessarily look greasy, but because my hair would just stick in clumps, it made it easier to tell my hair needed to be washed.
Can feel gritty in your hair
Can weigh down your hair if you have fine hair
Doesn’t do a super awesome job of absorbing the grease day after day. I definitely have to reapply a decent amount the next day to achieve the look I’m going for which also kind of causes my hair to look not fresh and heavy.
Probably not a con for some of you, but I’m in marketing and packaging weighs in on what I buy. This packaging is pretty basic, but to be fair I think they’ve changed it since the last time I purchased it. Just wanted to note lol.

Not Your Mother’s Dry Shampoo

This is one of my favorite drugstore dry shampoos. I’ve gone through a few cans of the one above which is their texturizing formula. I also recently tried their newer “body building” formula in a purple can that’s scented orange mango and liked that one as well. This is probably be one of my top go-to affordable brand recommendations for anyone looking for a new dry shampoo, but just depends on what you like.

PRICE: Around $5-7 depending on where you buy.

PROS:

Smells really great and masks the scent of dirty head lol - minus their original scent. It just has a chemical smell to it that isn’t my favorite.
Affordable
Absorbs grease pretty darn well
High quality product for lower price
Doesn’t sit heavily in your hair even after a few days of use
Isn’t hard to work through your hair
Restores volume if you need it
I like the design on this packaging because it’s clean but still fun

CONS:

Can be gritty after a few days of using it
I have to be careful to not run my fingers through my hair when this is in it because it has a tendency to get on my hands and then it’s inevitable that I touch my black dress pants afterwards which leaves white finger prints all over the place — cool cool.
It’s not uncommon for my hair to look greasy the next day even though this is still in my hair. So, I end up just spraying a shit ton more in there because now it has to power through the day before’s layer of dry shampoo too.
I know I use a lot of dry shampoo every week, but I feel like these bottles run out really quickly. I’m not sure if it’s due to the point above of where I feel like I have to respray a ton in my hair on the second/third day to counteract the spots that didn’t hold up from the previous day or if I am just using too much lol.

Batiste Dry Shampoo - Tropical

Before I tried Batiste dry shampoo, I had heard mixed reviews on it. Some people love it and some people hate it. I actually just watched a YouTube video and the girl said she loves adding a smidge of this dry shampoo to her hair to give it volume. So, to each his or her or whatever pronoun you identify with own. I also have always associated Batiste with women from a more seasoned generation because one of my aunts used to (or still does) use their cans of perfume/body spray regularly. I just never considered trying any of their products because of that which is why Batiste has never been a brand at the top of my radar.

PRICE: $7-8 depending on where you buy it.

PROS:

Smells great and they have quite the variety of scents
The packaging is super cute
Disperses a lot of product in one little spritz, so you don’t use a lot each time.
Affordable
Will add volume if you need it
Will keep the grease from your hair at bay pretty well for at least the first two days

CONS:

You better WERK! *Cue either Ru Paul or Lizzie McGuire Movie — Seriously though, you really have to work this through your hair with your hands, a brush, etc. just to get the white to go away. Even after I’ve worked it in enough for it to be acceptable, I sometimes feel like it’s definitely noticeable that there’s a white cast to my roots. Not enough that I think other people notice it, but I do.
- Note: Batiste does have dry shampoo options made for specific hair colors. I believe they have one for blondes, brunettes and people with very dark brown almost black and/or black hair. I haven’t tried those yet, so those might eliminate the white reside factor, but considering this wasn’t my favorite dry shampoo ever, I’m not sure I will try it. Therefore, if you’ve given any of those a shot, please let me know how they treated you!
GRITTY AF. This makes your hair feel so gritty. You can’t tell looking at it, but once you put your fingers in there, it’s like running your fingers through sand. I’m not a huge fan of that, so if you don’t like that feeling either then I do not recommend trying Batiste.
This leaves white residue on my hands no matter what. Even if I’m just lightly moving my hair back from my face, I need to be careful not to get white finger prints everywhere. So, I guess if you don’t touch your hair hardly at all during the day, then you don't have to worry about it.
This dry shampoo will start to build up after a few days of using it. My hair starts to look heavy and dry - which, I know dry hair is the point, but I feel like it starts looking dry and dull vs. silky/light.
It masks your grease and any smell, but doesn’t necessarily make your hair feel any cleaner.

Dove Refresh + Care Dry Shampoo

I bought this little guy from the travel-size section of Target for my trip to Colorado. When it comes to Dove, I love their body wash, deodorant, I use their bar soap to clean the makeup out of my beauty blenders, etc., but I don’t usually reach for this brand when it comes to haircare. In this case, I figured a vacation would be a great time to try it because the only other travel-size dry shampoo option was Not Your Mother’s and I already knew my feelings on that.

PRICE: $5-7 depending on where you buy and I believe there’s different sizes available(?). Target’s website says $4.89 for the 5 oz can.

PROS:

I love love love the smell of this dry shampoo. It smells clean, but not powdery by any means. Definitely similar scent to some of their other products, but it lived up to its name and refreshed my hair for sure.
Did not leave a white residue in my hair by any means and I don’t recall it getting any white residue on my hands during the day
Sat lightly in my hair
Minimal to no grit feeling
Added volume if you need it
Made my hair look/feel cleaner
Packaging: it’s pretty Dove-basic, but that’s also why I like Dove because it says what it is and that’s that.

CONS:

I know I only used the travel size, but I felt like this formula was a little thinner, so I had to spray quite a bit to cover the areas that needed covering.
Doesn’t necessarily hold up between days. My hair didn’t look dirty by any means the next day, nor did it feel heavy with product, but I just had to spray a lot again the second/third days to get it back to where I wanted it to be.
It’s definitely a pro that there’s no white residue, but it’s also a mild con because I never knew how much I had sprayed in my hair because it isn’t super visible. I know I’m being picky on this one, but it’s just something I noticed.
Provided nice volume, but didn’t always sustain the volume for as long as I’d hoped.

Living Proof - Perfect Hair Days Dry Shampoo

Living Proof - Perfect hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo

Now, this brand isn’t necessarily drugstore. I know you can buy it at Ulta, but I don’t think you will find it at Meijer. Maybe Walgreens? I’m not completely sure tbh, but, in the words of Queen Lizzo, this is dry shampoo is 100% THAT bitch. I had heard of Living Proof a handful of times before I actually caved and bought this. My girl, Hanna Q, is a regular user of LP products and recommended it to me before. I also listen to a podcast called Girls Gotta Eat (highly recommend) and Living Proof is one of their sponsors which means if I used the GGE promo code, I got a discount lol. And, y’all know ya girl loves a good discount. So, I bought this about 2 weeks ago and am obsessed.

PRICE: $20-25, depending on where you buy it. Ulta’s website has it at $24, Amazon has it for $20. Do your research and compare prices is the conclusion here. Totally worth the price though.

PROS:

For starters, the products of Living Proof are created by MIT scientists, so you know this shit is legit lol. Plus it’s silicone, paraben, sulfate and cruelty free. So, there ya go.
The scent is awesome. To me, it’s a mixture of clean, sweet and a touch of floral, but none of the scent notes overpower the other. It’s truly a balanced aroma.
This dry shampoo eliminates sweat, oil and odor. So, I feel like my hair is actually getting cleaned when I’m using it.
Sustains the clean to the next day, so that I just have to do a couple of touch-up spritzes vs. apply a whole new layer onto what was already in my hair from yesterday.
Easy to work into your hair.
Provides volume and doesn’t weigh your hair down
Minimal to no gritty feeling

CONS:

It is a little pricier than your typical drugstore dry shampoo, however, as I said above, it’s totally worth it.
Although it’s super easy to work into my hair and doesn’t leave a white cast on my roots, if I run my hand through my hair at all, I will have white on my fingers. So, if you don’t play with your hair much or don’t mind that, then it’s not a big deal. I’ve just had a few experiences of white hand prints left on my dress pants at work… self inflicted but still annoying.

Welp, there ya have it! Hopefully this helped any of you who are transitioning to minimal washing per week.

If you have any questions about any of the brands above, let me know! Or, if there’s a brand you’ve been wanting to try, but aren’t sure, let me know and I’d be happy to try it out for you.

Summer Book Club with Hales

June 15, 2019 by Haley Burrill in Books

It’s been a while since I’ve written a post on here, but what else is new? Luckily, I just went on a trip to Colorado, so stay tuned for that post lol.

When I travel I tend to pick up reading again. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Hales, what do you mean by “pick up reading?”

Well, I’m what you can call a picky reader. There’s the picky eaters of the world who have a very specific palate meaning their go-to at restaurants is usually something of the American “you can make this at home” cuisine choices such as chicken fingers/french fry basket. No sauce except maybe ranch, if they’re not too picky. (You know who you are.)

Though I am by no means picky when it comes to food, I tend to have a specific taste in books. It took me a while to get here, but at some point in time I realized that if I’m not interested in the book I’m reading, then why continue it? There’s literally MILLIONS of books out there available for me to read - about 145 million if you ask Google - so why waste energy and time on a book that isn’t keeping me hooked?

I’ve even developed a cool trick to help me identify books that aren’t worth my time: I fall asleep… lol (surprise!). Some of you may be thinking, “Well, duh, Hales. You have narcolepsy. Of course you’re going to fall asleep reading.” To that, my dear friends, I will reciprocate your “DUH” because if I don’t fall asleep reading, then clearly the book is holding my attention and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. :)

Over the years, I’ve done my fair share of reading, but like I said before, it tends to come in waves. I’ll go from being really into reading to not picking up a book for months. Honestly, I kind of blame our culture of constant stimulation. Whether it’s the newest binge-watchable series recently released on Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc., or it’s New Music Friday/ the latest episode of a podcast (of every topic) is finally up on whatever audio streaming service, or it’s the latest movie coming out in theaters — there’s just so many options to spill my attention and time into that books don’t always make the cut. (I’m sorry to all of my book nerd friends for hurting your hearts with that truth.)

I wish I could read non-stop like my brother. Steve read 27 books in 2018 a.k.a. 13,308 pages (source: his profile on the Goodreads app.) If you do that math, he read a little more than one book every two weeks last year or a little more than 36 pages per day - which is insane to me!

Anyway, over the last year or so, every time I get back onto the reading wagon, I find myself enjoying the same genre of book — autobiographies/memoirs written by comedians/actors.

Below, in no specific order (but kind of definitely specific), are some books you may want to pick up this summer on your way to the beach, park, bathtub, that cool new hipster coffee shop/microbrewery on the corner, the floor of Barnes & Noble if you don’t like to buy the book and just want to read it, or if you’re one of those people who listens to audio books in the car which isn’t technically reading, just listening (actually that’s probably really great practice for most men out there) and you need to download books - just wherever you do your “reading.”

(SIDE NOTE: DOWNLOAD THE GOOD READS APP AND FIND ME ON THERE.) :)))))

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood.

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Stars: FIVE FO-SHO
I put this book first on the list because it has by far been one of the best books I’ve read in the last few years. This book is not only hilarious, but Trevor Noah also gives insight as to what it was like as a biracial kid growing up in South Africa during the Apartheid. It was really eye opening to me to tell you the truth because I obviously had an awareness of the Apartheid, but never really learned about it in school. After reading this book, I walked away with a much better understanding of the institutionalized racism and segregation that happened during those years in South Africa. Trevor Noah does a glorious job of painting a picture for you during countless comedic anecdotes starting from when he was a five-year-old kid shitting on some newspaper in his grandma’s house becasuse he didn’t want to use the outhouse, to post-high school when he and his friends started a deejaying business, all the way to landing The Daily Show. Not to mention there is also a real twist throughout the book about his mom that makes it a real page-turner. (That was a mild spoiler alert and I do not apologize).

2. Scrappy Little Nobody by Anna Kendrick

STARS: FIVE

Now if you’re assuming one of the main reasons I wanted to read this book was to get Anna Kendrick’s tea on what it was actually like to be on the set of Twilight, then you aren’t wrong. However, this book is SO MUCH more than that. It is a collection of effortlessly funny, mildly self-deprecating short stories from Anna’s life that are actually incredibly relatable to even someone like me whose only theater experience was playing one of the three wisemen in a Catholic elementary school Christmas play where I had no lines lol. One of my favorite parts of this book is when she explains how the n00bs are styled for red carpet events (I think we owe some teen stars from the early 2000s an apology). Overall, it’s an extremely entertaining read with humor that kept a smile on my face throughout its entirety (which was probably either weird or a refreshing change from my RBF to people at work eating lunch around me in the cafeteria). So, if you appreciate my humor, you will definitely appreciate Anna’s (we’re on a first name basis now, obvi.)

3. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

STARS: FOUR

If you enjoy watching The Office (so literally anyone), then you will probably like this book. (Also, you can’t say you don’t like Mindy Kaling, but you do like The Office because she wrote a bunch of those episodes/jokes - fun fact.) Anyway, Mindy Kaling writes the same way she talks which helps you feel her authenticity through every story — like I literally read it in her voice. This book is a collection of reflections and lessons from her life starting from when she was in high school (her tip: don’t peak in high school lol we all know those people) all the way up to being a writer on The Office. Disclaimer: some of her humor is pretty inappropriate, so if you’re a prude, maybe just don’t…?

4. Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling

DEEEJAYYY KAAAALING — ANOTHA ONE.

STARS: 4 for Kelly Kapoor

This is the lovely book I mentioned at the beginning of this post that got be back into reading. I read this book in a mere THREE DAYS - that’s really fast for me, you guise. Most of the stories Mindy tells in this book are set post her days as Kelly Kapoor and a writer at The Office. She still gives B.J. Novak a big ole shout out because that’s her bestie, but I appreciated that this book was enough of its own entity that I didn’t feel like I was just rereading the one above. A few things that stuck with me from this book: she was describing a hypothetical situation/future and said “Elizabeth Warren is president” which I thought was oddly timely and wonder if she looks back on it now and says “HA! I TOLD YOU ALL!”, she dabbled in a relationship with one of Obama’s secret service agents which is just cool af to be able to say and in a culture where body dysmorphia is quite prevalent (even for men), Mindy dives into her take on her body and the media. It was an easy read with, again, some humor that some might find inappropriate, but I quite enjoyed.

5. Bossypants by Tina Fey

STARS: 3.96 — It’s my blog, I can rate how I want to.

Tina Fey’s Bossypants is the O.G. book for me. It was the book that introduced me to this comedian/actor memoir genre. It was the very first one I read and made me realize how much I enjoy reading stories from people’s lives as told by those people. I read it in 2013, so it’s been a few years but even as a college student who didn’t have a lot of time to “read for fun,” I flew through this book in about a week. Tina touches on a little bit of everything starting with when she was five and got attacked by a stranger in an alleyway that gave her the scar on her left cheek (Google it.), her journey to becoming a comedian on Saturday Night Live including her time as part of the Chicago-based improv group The Second City where she met her BFF Amy Poehler, and of course, what it’s like being a working mom eating food off of the floor. All in all, I think this book offers something everyone can appreciate.

6. Yes Please by Amy Poehler

STARS: Three. Just three.

So to be fair to Amy on my rating, after thoroughly enjoying Tina Fey’s book, my expectations were pretty high for Amy Poehler’s book. I mean she is Tina Fey’s BFF, u kno? I also LOVE Parks & Rec (highly recommend anyone watch it if you enjoy The Office (so anyone reading this)) and this was the second book of this genre that I read. Although it didn’t live up to my expectations, it wasn’t a bad book by any means. Similar theme to all of the other books mentioned in this blog, Amy offers up a plethora of personal stories about sex, love, friendship, parenthood, etc. with a little bit of advice intertwined (take some, leave the rest). I love Amy Poehler’s humor and learning about all of the improv groups she was in when she was just starting out as a comedian. It wasn’t my favorite book, but I liked it enough to include it on this list. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Welp, that’s it for now! Let me know if you end up reading any of them, so that I can start something that resembles an actual Summer Book Club lol.

To end this blog post, here’s a gif of Leslie Knope giving a shoutout to one of my favorite books/series. :)

Blogging or just distracting myself because T-Minus 14 minutes until the Battle of Winterfell?????

April 28, 2019 by Haley Burrill

Yiiiiikes.

So, I realize it’s been more than a month since I’ve blogged, but hear me out. APRIL HAS BEEN QUITE THE MONTH.

Between Game of Thrones ABSOLUTELY RUINING MY EMOTIONS AND MENTALITY EVERY SUNDAY and then running back to Battle Creek literally every weekend for bridesmaid duties, house warming parties, etc., I just haven’t found the time nor energy to blog.

My sincerest apologies. But, also since no one has complained, then my expectations/predictions of those who actually read this blog are proven to be true. Those people include:

My parents when they remember to check every so often
A handful of friends who i know don’t mind when I say “hey can you read my latest blog post?”
Someone who was probably hoping to use this domain name, realized it’s taken and wanted to see what it’s being used for only to be mildly disappointed, yet hopefully entertained.

Anyway, I thought about what I should do for this post and tonight’s Game of Thrones episode is the “Battle of Winterfell.” A.k.a. the MOST EPIC BATTLE EVER FILMED.

I’m not being dramatic. That’s actually a fact. You can read it here.

My initial thought was to do a live reaction blog while I watched the new episode. However, after some thought, I needed to be honest with myself. There’s no fucking way I’m going to be able to focus on anything but this episode. I may even need to write the words “breathe” and “blink” on the back of my hand so I don’t forget to do both after this episode tears me to shreds.

Instead I figured I’d do a little more of an uplifting blog consisting of nothing but tweets that sit patiently in my drafts folder because they sadly never saw the publish button. If you find any of them funny, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for more LOL.

ENJOY AND Mīsagon Ghost! :)

(That’s Valyrian for Protect Ghost).

Keeping the GoT theme going, a tweet from last summer:

Been waiting for GoT season 8 for a hot minute, ja feel?

In honor of my social sand volleyball league starting again soon, a tweet from last summer’s league:

I guess i misunderstood the whole “social” part.

The extent of how my dating life is going:

Hit ya girl up tho if you have any chiropractor friends who are 26-31 and aren’t high maintenance.

Other essential requirements for any potential suitors:

Because fuck Burpees, amiright?

I wonder if that family has since changed their last name since so many people loathe burpees.

I eat a lot of vegetables and it’s truly just about finding joy in the little things:

Nothing says I have my life together and strive for a well-balanced diet like digging into a full jar of Jif, amiright? :’)

How to tell people you're an introvert who lives alone and are mildly socially awkward:

Last, but not least, more proof that ya girl is truly a completely sane and normal person:

That’s all folks. T-minus 10 minutes until Game of Thrones literally ruins me as a person. My full reactions will be obnoxiously expressed later on, you guessed it, Twitter. So, give ya girl a follow if you’re ever so inclined! :)

What the fresh Hale is this about?

March 23, 2019 by Haley Burrill

When I made a 2019 goal of starting a new blog and posting consistently to it, I knew it was going to be a challenge. I mean, why make a goal if achieving it doesn’t challenge you in the process?

Creating a blog was easy. The hardest part is figuring out what in the fresh hell you’re going to write about. Literally, ask any self-proclaimed writer and they will tell you the same.

I even started carrying a little notebook around for all of those “this would make a really great blog post” moments, so that I don’t forget the ideas that emerge from my daily life. (See cute notebook below. S/o to Cails for a solid birthday gift.)

A notebook fit for that grammar gargoyle in your life. :)

Though this notebook makes me feel more like a legit writer because it holds me more accountable to brainstorm ideas for blog posts, it unfortunately doesn’t help me write the actual posts. Plus, I have to admit that I live a pretty family friendly sitcom-esque life for the ripe age of 25. So, the lack of adventure and spice doesn’t necessarily help me generate hella exciting blog posts either.

However, since it’s been about a month since I’ve posted something (lol srry), I figured I’d write a blog post about how hard it is to write a blog post. (Shout out to my coworker Scott for the idea.)

Let me start by saying not only is it mildly intimidating to start your own blog because you’re putting yourself out there for the world to read, but there’s another element of pressure to write about topics people actually want to read (which is kind of the point of a blog). So, the fact that my life tends to have a spice level equivalent to parmesan garlic sauce on the Buffalo Wild Wings Sauce Scale, topics aren’t necessarily jumping out as much as I’d like.

Most people say you should write about whatever you want to write about. Although, I completely agree that the posts I publish to my blog shouldn’t be dictated by what I think other people would want to read, there’s still an element of wanting to make sure I provide some sort of value to those who read my blog.

So far, I’ve recorded the following potential blog post ideas in my handy dandy notebook:

Hale’s Kitchen - Minus Gordon Ramsey and more like a kitchenette considering my kitchen is a wall of my living room. This would be a series of recipe posts based off my experience of cooking for one. I’d share some of my favorite recipes that don’t result in wasting food when you’re trying to make meals small enough for one person that are worth the maintenance.
Dry Shampoo Reviews - Ya girl only washes her hair twice a week which means dry shampoo is a hair product I must always have on hand. As someone who has cycled through a few different brands, I can help those of you who are interested in washing your hair less by writing a review on various dry shampoos. :)
The Art of Self Control - It’s taken years of practice, but my self control as it relates to cravings, impulses and in-the-moment decisions is a bit stronger than most. For those of you who have a hard time putting the thin mints box away after smashing the first sleeve or tend to buy random things when you’re stressed, I have a few strategies to help strengthen your self control.
JOMO: You’ve probably heard of FOMO (fear of missing out), but have you heard of JOMO? (Joy of Missing Out.) I have a few friends who have a hard time saying no to plans because they don’t want to let anyone down, but in return, they burn themselves out. Ya girl has absolutely no problem turning down plans when it comes to self care and can explain why you should put your self care first too.
The Library of Unpublished Tweets - Though @hollatyoburrill was retired a few years ago, I think I’m funny and have a whole drafts folder of tweets that never saw the publish button. For example:

Personally, I think that’s a pretty solid list of blog topics However, even with a list of ideas, sitting down and actually writing the blog is a completely different ball game.

You have to plan out the flow of the blog, write and rewrite multiple versions of the same sentence or paragraph, constantly search on thesaurus.com for synonyms of words you’re repeating throughout the blog to make sure you’re not being too, well, repetitive, figure out where to put pictures and what pictures to use that will emphasize/add a strong visual component to the blog, etc.

Then there’s always that moment that you hit the halfway point of the blog post where you wonder “is this really worth the publish button?” and second guess everything you just spent 2 hours writing and rewriting.

There’s also the times where writer’s block becomes so frustrating that alternative creative routes are pursued such as sipping on some black cherry White Claws to relax the Type-A side of you that causes so many overly-critical writing road blocks. (Do not judge or @ me on that one. I know y’all used to write some of your best papers in college after pint night.)

Anyway, to wrap up this blog about not knowing what to write about on my blog, please let me know if you have anything you’d like me to write about. All suggestions are welcomed and appreciated, and I promise to publish more consistently. :)

Until next time, I’ll leave you with this photo of me from today because I think I’m finally perfecting the art of the “wavy-curl hair” and just want it to be seen by other people lol… pz out.

Chapter 25, Lesson 1: Shit Happens.

March 03, 2019 by Haley Burrill

Let me preface this post by saying, I am a person who thrives off of routine. Bless my mother for passing along her obsessive compulsive nature. It’s not that I have to have everything happen the same exact way every single day, but when I have a general routine, I have some control over how things are going to go. I know that I’m not missing anything.

I pretty much follow the same morning and evening routine every day down to my skincare routine before bed. If my routine is thrown off, I immediately get an irrational anxiety that since this routine is thrown off then my next habitual activity will be disrupted, and it just becomes a mess that’s not a mess, but it feels like a mess to me… lol. That makes sense, right?

With that in mind, this past week was a rough run for me. There wasn’t necessarily one monumental moment that made it a struggle bus kind of week, it was just an accumulation of little things that added up to it being a week that threw me a little bit off my rocker. Let me start from the beginning.

Sunday

Michigan Men’s Basketball lost to MSU…

In addition to the loss, there were also 50 mph winds blowing across the Mitten state. These obnoxiously strong winds prevented me from driving home that night after the game which had been my plan for weeks because I had a doctor’s appointment at 9 a.m. the next day in Kalamazoo.

(Sidenote: I know the U-M loss isn’t a bad thing for some of you. Anyway, the real tragedy of that game was how Caili and I looked in the half time 360 photo… lol)

Monday

I woke up with an awful cold. So, we’re already taking an L today.

Since I couldn’t drive back to BC the night before, I had to wake up early and gather the mountain of laundry I planned to do while I was home. Now, this already throws off my week because I usually work out first thing in the morning, but since I had to pack everything up and drive back to BC in an attempt to avoid the morning rush on I-94, I missed my work out.

Did I debate bringing home my gym bag in case I had time to run to the gym in BC? Sure did.

Did I bring my gym bag home? Sure didn’t.

Well, why not Hales? I’m glad you asked. This also happened to be my birthday week which meant my license expired on Tuesday. So, I didn’t think I’d have time for the gym because I planned to get it renewed in BC since I had the day off.

Now this is where Monday gets fun. When I got home from my doctor’s appointment, I quickly PUT ON A FULL FACE OF MAKEUP under the impression I’d be getting a new picture taken today because I wanted to upgrade my license to one of those “Real-IDs” that everyone needs by 2020. However, when I went to get “in line online,” I found that there was 114 people in line in front of me which meant it was a 5.5 hour wait…

Absolutely not. I’m not waiting 5.5 hours to get my license renewed and to all of you who are thinking “well, you can make appointments online!” I tried that and their next open date was March 4th.

So, now that I wasn’t getting my license renewed, guess what I had time to do before my hair appointment that afternoon? You’re correct, go to the gym…

To sum this day up, Monday was just annoying because it didn’t go the way I planned.

(Also, sidenote: I ended up renewing my license online because you can upgrade to the Real-ID at any time. :))

Tuesday

I’ll keep it quick on this one, but I was too sick to work out in the morning. The last game of the current season of my social volleyball league was that night, which I also had to skip because I was too sick.

If you can’t tell, I hate being sick. It’s such an inconvenience and you can’t push yourself through it or else you get more sick. It throws off your routine because you’re lethargic and hugging a box of tissues all day.

It left me feeling like a sick ball of lard because I wasn’t able to work out two days in a row.

Plus, a huge project I’ve been leading at work hit (another) big ol’ bump in the road. Mind you, this road has been about a year and a half and was supposed to end this week…

Moving on.

Wednesday - My Birthday!

That’s right! I celebrated my 25th lap around the sun on Wednesday. I was still sick though which meant I wasn’t able to go to the gym in the morning. Also was still stuck on the bump in that project from the day before.

(It’s weird how third-party vendors your company works with don’t mind delivering unfavorable news on your birthday???? Don’t they know? Isn’t that against some sort of work-ettiquette? )

Shout out to everyone who made this day pretty okay despite everything though. Especially, Caili and Carly. And, of course, my parents who sang Happy Birthday to me really loud and slightly off-key over the phone.

Cails is my work wife and dearest friend who had my birthday present picked out by the end of November… her birthday is in December lol. So, she already had my birthday present for the following year before she even celebrated her birthday for the current year. (Magical gift below.)

Caili is literally the best gift giver. Yes, that is a Pisces necklace and next to it is a Bob Ross mug that reveals a painting when you put hot liquids in it.

Carly is also one of my most wonderful friends and she nailed it with this freaking awesome baseball purse.

A purse perfect for Tigers games and for those times when you’re just feeling ~sporty~

Wednesday really wasn’t all that awful besides the hold-up on that project.

Thursday

Thursday is where my irrational anxiety comes into play. Woke up feeling better, but still not great enough to go to the gym before work. However, I could feel that this was the last day I would have to trade the gym for more sleep in order to fight off the cold. Friday would definitely be my first day back to the gym which would not only make me feel better, but also get me back to my normal routine.

Work on Thursday followed the same trend as the previous two days, but at least we had made some progress on it at this point.

Around 2 p.m. that afternoon, my friend Hanna Q won not only tickets to the U-M vs. Nebraska game that night, but A SUITE. A mother freakin’ suite at the Big House for tweeting about gluten free nachos. If that’s not the most Hanna thing that’s ever happened..

Anyway, as the sweet friend she is (pun intended), HQ invited me to join. What is the immediate reaction of any normal person who enjoys college basketball?

Yes.

What was mine?

If I go that means I won’t be able to go to bed early enough tonight to wake up early tomorrow to go to the gym, which was my plan because we are now on day four of not working out which is literally the longest I’ve gone in probably six months. Plus, I think I got sick at the U-M hockey game last Saturday because it’s a big space with a bunch of germs and I don’t want to get more sick, so maybe I shouldn’t go. At the same time though, I need to stop being lame and saying no thank you to these really cool opportunities because they don’t come up frequently. However, if i do go, then….etc. etc. etc.

That, ladies and gents, is how my brain works.

So what did I do? Well, first I texted my mom and, by texted, I mean blew up her phone lol. See below.

Bless my mother for understanding when I blow up her phone.

She always helps me sort out these thoughts that are fueled by my irrational anxiety that is stemmed from my routine-loving self. *insert eye roll emoji* It didn’t take long for my mom to do what all moms do and say the right thing which was:

“I think you need to just write off the whole week and commit to getting back into it this weekend. You are trying to juggle ALL worthy activities but SHIT HAPPENS.”

For those of you still reading at this point, thank you. I am pleased to report that I did, in fact, attend the game with HQ, her parents and a couple of our friends. I am also pleased to report that Michigan won that game. :)

Proof I made Zack and Cody proud living the suite life at the Big House.

Friday

Friday is the last day that contributed to this very long week. It also will be the shortest of this post.

Yet again, there were a few bumps in some projects that my team has been working hard on, but we made it through.

I didn’t get to work out again, but since it was Employee Appreciation Day, our boss bought us lunch, so that was a plus. I tried Bibimbap for the first time - it was good, but needed more sauce.

Week in Review

If there’s one lesson I learned this week, the first lesson learned as a fresh 25-year-old, it’s that I can’t control everything. Or, in the words of Susan, shit happens.

My routine was thrown off multiple times this week due to everything that was out of my control:

-Getting sick

-Long lines at the Secretary of State

-Vendors not doing their part in projects

-Hanna winning a suite due to her gluten intolerance lol

ETC.

So, if you’re a routine-lover like me and can relate to my irrational anxiety, this post was for you. Routines aren’t bad by any means. They provide consistency in our lives and keep our days moving at a comfortable pace. Sometimes they’re okay to be broken though. It’s okay to step out of your comfort zone when life doesn’t go the way you planned. You’re going to get through it, I promise. This week was so far out of my normal routine and it definitely threw me for a whirl, but yanno what? Today is Sunday. The start of an entirely new week. And, yanno what else? My happy ass is going to get back into my routine this week because that’s where I thrive and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But, if something does pop up again this week that interrupts my routine, I know it’s going to be okay. :)

Until next time, pz out.

A Big F.U. to the Winter Blues

February 23, 2019 by Haley Burrill

Most people say the best thing about living in the Mitten state is that you get to experience all four seasons. Though it’s a very valid statement that we do have four seasons, and that concept is nice in theory, I personally could do without the winter. Yes, yes, give me snow during the week leading up to and on Christmas, but after that, we gud.

(Kind of like putting up Christmas decorations a few weeks ahead of time is totally chill. Get into that red, green and nutmeg-scented spirit you Cottonheadedninnymuggin, you! But, once we hit December 26th, put that shit away. Don’t @ me.)

Michiganders know that winter here usually starts November, if not earlier, and can last through literally late April. That is damn near SIX MONTHS of the dreary, cold, wet, cold, gray, gloomy weather. And, with every winter comes a little something called the winter blues. Now, the winter blues is a phrase someone started using to make “seasonal depression” sound a lot less, well, depressing, and it’s inevitable that while we endure this vitamin D-depriving weather, the winter blues will hit.

This year, the ‘aha my winter blues are getting the best of me’ moment happened a couple of weekends ago. I found myself at Target debating whether or not to buy a lotion I really didn’t need simply because the bottle said “smells like summer.”

I know there’s other people out there feeling a little more lethargic, isolated, unmotivated, etc. than usual, I figured I’d share some of my favorite ways to say fak you, winter blues.

Mix up your music

One of the easiest things you can do is something you probably already do every day — listen to music. When I start feeling a little bit 90’s emo, lethargic, and uninspired with all of the gloomy weather, I’ll listen to music that helps get those “feel good” chemicals in my brain moving again. So, press pause on all of those James Bay, Hozier, and Lana tracks and make a playlist of songs that remind you of the warmer days or find the O.G. songs from back in the day that will literally put a smile on your face no matter what.

If you need some inspiration, you can check out mine here.

(Side note and shoutout: the title of this blog post was inspired by a Spotify playlist my musically-inclined friend, Emilie made - fuck your winter blues.)

Phone (or FaceTime) a Friend

It’s easy to get into the habit of isolating yourself from others when you’re just not feeling yourself nor have the energy to socialize, especially when you live by yourself. Plus, when it’s cold or snowy or rainy, the last thing I want to do is change out of my sweat pants, put a bra on and go out in public. So, instead I opt for calling or FaceTiming a friend I haven’t talked to in a hot minute. Catching up with one of your besties who’s doing his/her own thang in another city or state can be such a solid mood booster. Not only are you technically socializing, but you are doing it in the comfort of your own sweats. :)

Note: I do want to clarify, though, there is one hundred percent nothing wrong with politely declining an invite to plans with your friends due to self care or plain personal preference. If you just want to stay in because you don’t thrive in large groups or it’s been a long week, then girl, I’m about it. Smear that Lush oatmeal mask you’ve been waiting to try on your face and Netflix it up!

Rock Your Body, yeah.

Okay, so although listening to the Backstreet Boys (or Justin Timberlake - whichever came to mind first) can definitely be a mood booster, this tip is more about what you’re putting into and how much you’re moving your body. I know this is an overly-saturated message around this time of year, so I’ll go through this as quickly as possible.

It’s incredibly common for people to put on a little winter fluff. The cold weather is a prime reason to break out our biggest woobie sweaters, curl up on the couch for a Netflix binge and enjoy our favorite comfort foods. And, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! We all do it.

We also want to make sure, though, that we’re getting in some sort of physical activity at least a few days a week - even something as simple as taking a walk. Part two of that is finding balance between those winter comfort foods and nutrient-dense foods that our bodies need to function. Even if it’s just making an effort to eat a healthy breakfast every morning, that’s better than totally neglecting fueling your body with what it needs.

Side note: my favorite breakfast lately involves Van’s Waffles. They are so freaking good - even Leslie Knope would even approve of them. My favorite flavors are apple cinnamon and power grains chocolate chip.

To wrap this section up, when your body feels good, there’s a better chance that you will feel good.

Clean Up Your Space.

I don’t know about you, but I immediately feel a million times more relaxed, at ease and motivated when my apartment is clean. Winter is a really great time to Marie Kondo all of your spaces. (You’re already spending all of your time inside, why not clean it up a little bit?)

Start with something easy like going through your closet. Any piece of clothing that doesn’t “spark joy for you,” thank it, and get rid of it. (Credit to MK on that process.) I know this can be a hard task because there’s always that ~one shirt~ you’ve never worn but may need to hold onto for some very rare (a.k.a. probably won’t happen) occasion. Girl, just channel your inner Ariana Grande and say thank u, next.

Trust me. Decluttering areas of your home will not only provide you more space physically, but also give you a little relief from feeling like you’re surrounded by chaos.

Also, if you have no idea what I’m talking about or are unconvinced this will help, then go to Netflix (let’s be honest, you’re already watching it) and find the show “Tidying Up.” Watch a few episodes and let me know how you feel afterwards. :)

Tidying Up with Marie Kondo - the Queen of Clean Up.

Pack Your Planner

Whether you’re a huge sports junkie looking forward to opening day or just got into EDM and want to go to as many concerts as possible (@James), filling your calendar with events you’re genuinely excited about will help keep you motivated and looking forward.

It always feels like the weeks/days go by faster leading up to an event I’ve had marked in my planner for months because I’m so excited for the day to come. For example, my birthday is smack dab in the middle of prime winter blues season, so I always try to plan something with friends to celebrate. This year, I decided I want to hurl sharp objects at a giant wooden target, so we’re going ax throwing next weekend and I could not be more jacked about it…. (lol. get it? lumberjack? axes? lol.) :))))))

Start packing your planner (or Google Calendar for you tech-savvy people) with events you’re truly excited about for the upcoming months. That way, you have something to look forward to and keep you pushing through this gloomy weather.

Last but not least - March 20th.

That glorious Wednesday is officially the First Day of Spring.

Which means we are only 25 days away from, hopefully, the last signs of winter.

Who knows? Maybe the six-month stretch of gloom will even subside a little early this year, so we can trade in our sleeping bag coats for light jackets in preparation for April 25th. :)