#also like I don’t like colleen hoover but hot take. people who like her books shouldn’t kill thensekves either

[tayloralisonswift]

keep coming across posts on my dash that are like “sarah j maas has ruined literature. if you like her kill yourself” and i’m like mmmmmmm anyway. back to a court of mist and fury, the most fun i’ve had reading in years! cry me a river :)

[bisluthq]

And what if I said that women not being able to read a book if it isn’t “spicy” is very much getting to the porn addiction level and it’s just as harmful?

I’m not saying books can’t have smut in them. But there are so many young women who constantly ask if books have “spice” (I swear there’s another word they use but I can’t remember it) and won’t read them if they don’t. They read hundreds of books a year but it’s just smut after smut. Which means they spend their days reading about usually toxic couples having sex. I truly believe it’s a problem for a lot of people and it should be more talked about

wow okay this suddenly got very deep. I took a break from my phone to blow my bf because happy Valentine’s Day to him and he used the big vibrator on me because he’s too fluish to do anything else and anyway it was all very time efficient, whole thing took us like 20 minutes and we both came. Iconic. Anyway, I come back to my phone and now there’s this whole philosophical quandary to deal with. Lemme go grab a cigarette and think about this more.

my overall opinion is yes “spicy” books serve the exact same purpose as porn and no they don’t differ much at all. Women obsessed with reading smut and men obsessed with watching porn are in the same lil wankery boat. I’ll also say some women (like me!) do enjoy porn tbh more than smut and some men (like my dad, a fact I wish I could unlearn) prefer reading smut (you get guy smut like he doesn’t read Colleen Hoover there are boy things you can read and again I wish I could unknow this).

that said, I think female sexuality is so ignored and taboo (even now and even amongst Gen Z) that a lot of girls and women feel more comfortable “reading” because they “like reading” rather than just saying “I want a good lil wank and to imagine some fun seggsy times”. The solution is saying wanking is normal not saying them reading their crappy smutty books is bad lol. Also with younger women maybe encouraging more reading of like actual good books (occasionally those have sex too but tbf less frequently lol) and saying they don’t need to like pick one or the other. I watch porn right but that doesn’t mean I haven’t watched every Best Picture nominee for 2024. I don’t pick one or the other.

I’ll also say based on my time working at the bookstore that this isn’t a new thing. It was a secondhand bookstore and customers would get a 20% discount on new purchases if they brought the book back in good condition. Our most regular customers were old ass women (like really really old y’all I’m not just calling them that because I was like 19 at the time these women were fuck old) who’d come in and buy like a bunch of Mills&Boons and a couple new smutty things and then they’d come back the following Monday to return them and restock. One woman and I became friendly (no, this was not my old friend Linda although she is indeed now around the age those women would’ve been then) and she used to also occasionally buy like historical fiction and detective stories and she always bought the cool new non fiction but also every week she’d take at least five Mills&Boons and one day I asked her like “Pat seriously?” and she was like “I’m a widow 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️” and I had no further questions. So like it’s not new and it’s not abnormal unless it’s interfering with your life.

final thought: as you say most of these types of books have very unhealthy relationships in them. If you’re reading them just to wank like go for it - again, I watch porn lol and I’ve found sometimes there’s entertaining/hot sex in a fairly out there scenario - but porn is bad for body image and expectations in bed irl (this has been proven in multiple studies) and I do think a lot of smut is bad for self-esteem and expectations in bed and expectations in relationships tbh irl (no studies have been done afaik because female sexuality as I said right at the beginning of this answer is still so taboo).

[frostironfudge]

🎟 mini movie theatre:

Bucky and Sam helping Steve to ask the girl he likes (who happens to be their very good friend too) on a date and Steve being a Himbo failing cutely 🥰

Post Its and Doodles

pairing: Steve Rogers x fem!reader 

Word Count: 2.3k || Dividers: @firefly-graphics

Warnings: fluff, steve being a himbo, bucky and sam having to use all their braincells, idk if what is in there qualifies for angst? because it isn’t really angst… steve is being really adorable

A/N: thank you so much for this request! i’m thoroughly enjoying writing the other requests you have sent in as well and they are really making the inner creative in me so happy, also a big thank you for participating and kicking off ‘frostironfudge’s funfair’!

Main Masterlist || frostironfudge's funfair masterlist

“You absolute punk.” Bucky’s teasing drawl reaches Steve, he wants to ignore it but it reaches him none the less. 

“Buck.” Steve acknowledged returning to his boxing match with the punching bag. 

“So how did it go?” Sam pipes up from behind Bucky. 

They all know the answer, they both have shit eating grins. Steve groans. 

Then mumbles incoherently. 

“What was that? Oh you dropped her iced coffee on her? While having written your ‘asking her out message’ on the tissue that got condensation and caused it to slip out of your hand?” Sam cups his own ear to add emphasis to hear the mumble. 

“Give him a break, Sam.” Bucky shakes his head and Steve gives him a thankful nod. 

“He just slipped up in front of his crush.” Bucky adds and the two start laughing at Steves expense. 

The man out of time huffs and begins to remove the wraps. 

“I hate you both.” Steve adds grumpily. 

“Would you hate us if we got you a second chance for asking Y/N out?” Sam wiggles his brows and Bucky rolls his eyes. 

The way Steve’s head snaps up, it sure should have pulled a muscle. 

Sam shakes his head chuckling. 

“Look, there is a sale happening at her favourite bookstore, she asked us to come along but we’re gonna delay our arrival and you can go ahead.” Bucky explains taking a seat next to Steve. 

“Okay, and when am I supposed to ask her out?” Steve questions and then the light bulb idea clicks in his head.

“Oh you don’t need our help for that Cap.” Sam grins wiggling his brows. 

“Don’t mess up this time.” Bucky warns, “There is only so many times we can convince her.” 

Steve’s chest deflates in the slightest, “I wont mess this up.” If he was assuring himself or Sam and Bucky he isn’t sure. 

Three days later Steve Rogers gives you his beaming grin, despite his very discreet outfit of a baseball cap and a hoodie; you aren’t sure if he is fooling anyone. 

“Hey smidge.” He greets a laugh rumbling in his chest when you roll your eyes at the nickname. 

“Will you ever stop calling me that?” You raise a brow, shaking your head as he shrugs, taking a place beside you in the line. 

“When I can no longer remember, your drunken hot chocolate making skills, I’ll stop.” He gives you a teasing grin. 

When you pout up at him, all his confidence goes flying out the window at the sight of your soft lips. 

“So um, what books do you, do you want to get?” He changes the topic the light in your eyes brightens and he swears he falls more in love with the colour of them. 

“Oh um, a few classics and some newer ones, CoHo, sorry Colleen Hoover had book come out and everyone has been raving about it. Its supoosed to make you cry.” You grin, and Steve tilts his head. 

“Books are nice, I like being wrapped up in people’s stories.” You defend sensing his skepticism. 

“They are, I can understand why being lost in stories has an appeal, its an escape into a world.” His voice is thicker and you grab his hand giving it a squeeze. 

Steve stumbles in the doorway when he notices you don’t let go of his hand, even as you enter. He follows you through the aisles, hand in hand. 

Heart beating fast. 

The place isn’t crowded but there is a rush, Steve resorts to watching you. The way your eyes scan the titles and then you get soft creases by your eyes when you love the description of the book. 

The way your nose scrunches when you don’t like something about the book. 

The way you smile as if seeing an old friend when you pick up a book that he deems is dear to your heart. 

His favourite is when you open a book, read the last page and chuckle then close it. 

You catch his staring, “What?” You question. 

“Why do you read the last page?” He counters, chest warming at your smile. 

“I like knowing the end, it is enjoyable to understand how it all falls into place to reach the end.” You shake you head and shrug, “Bit weird isn’t it?” 

Steve shakes his head, “Not at all, back in the forties I used to open the book midway, read the two middle pages and then begin to read the book.” 

Steve swears his heart commits your smile at his words into his memory. 

As the pile of books you want grows, so does Steve’s trepidation of his way to ask you out. 

He stumbles again when you stop suddenly colliding into your back, 

“Oh my god.” You almost scream, then run towards the display. 

Steve follows first with his gaze but his feet carry him to you. It is a Harry Potter book display arranged by the houses. 

“Steve, oh my god, they have the books in my house colours.” You squeal, picking up your favourite of the series and admiring your house colours. 

“It does look really pretty, you should get it.” The idea pops into his head then, this this is the book in which he’ll place the post it note with a drawing of two coffee cups—yours iced and his warm. 

“I will and I’ll going to read it first. I love the comfort these brought.” You sigh contented holding the book to your chest. 

“Why don’t I hold it?” He offers and you eye the pile of almost eight books he harbours already. 

“I’m pretty sure I can hold nine books, smidge.” He winks and the way you blush makes him smile. 

Maybe he does have potential not to mess up. 

“You know,” you hand over the book, gazing into his sweet blue eyes that have your heart beat a little faster, “I’m glad, Bucky and Sam didn’t tag along.” your admission makes him beam. 

“I’m happy too.” He admits sending your heart into overdrive. 

You turn away looking at the display to stop him from observing the heat creeping over your skin. 

“You aren’t buying anything?” You turn after calming yourself down. 

“Oh yeah um already have,” He shrugs.

Your brows furrow, “What book did you get?”

“Oh um, I needed post its.” He mentally kicks himself. 

“Post its?” Skepticism becomes your voice. 

“Yes, to annotate.” He swallows thickly. 

“You have no book to annotate, Steve.” 

“I have my eye on one I’ll buy it once we have your pile complete.” He smiles at you. 

“You can go to—,”

“No want to be with you.” The red tinge that graces his cheeks has you fawn over him, you clear your throat. 

“Oh um, okay, well I’m done, I need to use the restroom so I’ll find you?” You offer he nods. 

Get a grip on yourself Y/N. You mentally chant moving away from him. 

“Okay.” Steve calls out and wonders if he spoke too much. 

He heads to the one empty cashier and pays for all the books and his post its, by some miracle you still aren’t there, he stands sketching the two coffees and his message, then swiftly tucks in the note into your harry potter book, putting it first on your pile with just enough of the post it jutting outward. 

“Hey,” your hand is on his shoulder and Steve turns, slightly on edge, “You alright?” 

“Yes, um you took me by surprise.” Steve reasons, thumb tracing the edge of the post it. 

You tilt your head not buying his fib. 

“Oh, okay…” You still eye him with doubt and Steve holds up the books.

“Oh yeah, I’ll pay—,”

“Already done. Go on pick up your first read.” He prompts and you gape at him. 

“Steve even on sale—,”

“Nope, no arguments just enjoy the books.” 

“Steve this is—,”

“Y/N,”

“Excuse Me?” A tiny voice draws you both to look to the side and then down. 

A twelve year old girl stands there and instinctively Steve and you kneel to speak to her. 

“Hi.” You both say at the same time, she grins. 

“Hi.” Then she takes a look at Steve, eyes widened. 

Steve places his index finger against his lips, “I’m on a secret mission miss. Tell me how can we help?” 

“Also what is your name?” You ask, smiling at her for being understanding. 

The girl nods, “I’m Nadia. I um, you, you took the last book I wanted in my Hogwarts house colours. I um I wanted to ask if I could have it? I’ll pay you back incase you bought it.” She explains while fidgeting with the house pin on her dungarees. 

“Aw sweetheart of course you can and no need to pay me at all.” You reach over to the books kept on the floor between Steve and your knees. 

As you begin to hand over the book Steve stops you and your head whips towards him questioningly. 

“Steve.” You chastise as he relents. 

“I um, I need the book.” He reasons and Nadia gazes at him with doe eyes. He feels like a bully. 

“Nadia—,” You pull the book out of his grasp, the post it not even seen by you. 

Steve honestly wants to curse even though he hates cursing and there is a child present. 

“Thank you.” Nadia says jumping in to hug you and then she shakes hands with Steve, trotting off. 

“What was that?” You turn to him, crossing your arms. 

“I, I don’t know.”

“Steve why are you acting so weird?” 

“Its nothing I just, I don’t know? I’ll wait out for you, I just remembered I need to call Bucky.” Steve rushes out of the store, leaving you baffled. 

Shaking your head you grab the books and you do miss the fact that the Harry Potter book is gone but Nadia is happier with it and you could just order it online. 

Steve’s post its fall when you pick the pile up and you frown as to why they are opened and small indents are there meaning he used it. 

You place the books on a counter close by, checking if you missed something or if he did buy a book. 

There is a tug on your shirt. 

“Nadia!” You grin.

“Hi, I think this is Captain’s I think thats why he hesitated…” she hands you the book back and you notice the post it.

Opening the book you smile seeing his sketched drawing and message. Retrieving the note you stick it inside your other book and hand the copy back to her. 

“Thank you Nadia, you were really helpful and yes this is why Captain was hesitant.” You tell her and she only grins before clutching her book and running off. 

You look out the window to spot Steve shaking his head and covering his eyes while on the phone. Heading to the art section you spot the familiar sketchbook he uses for his artwork. 

Paying for your supplies, you admire your five minute handiwork of your own drawing. Heading outside to a sullen Steve,

“Sorry, I left you with these let me take them.” Before you can say anything he grabs them out of your hands, the sketchbook now at the bottom. He grabs your hand in his seeking comfort and you allow it rubbing small circles into the back of his hand. 

“Nadia seemed happy.” you note, your pace slowing down as a coffee shop comes into view. 

“Yeah, ahe did, I hope I didn’t cause her to not trust the goodness in people.” He shakes his head

“Steve, people look at you for inspiration to be good, I’m pretty sure she just thought you wanted to keep it for me.” You reason and then pause right outside the entrance. 

He says your name to draw your attention, “Why don’t you see the pile of books and then come inside.” 

Before he can protest or question you, you’re inside the chime of the bell breaking him out of the stupor as he looks down at the pile. 

Swiftly he finds the familiar binding of the sketchbook, a small post it jutting out from it. Curiously he opens it and his heart soars. 

‘words cannot espresso how much i want to go on a date with you.’

accompanied by your own two mugs of coffee drawn below the line. 

Steve rushes into the coffee shop, smiling widely at you, grasping your hand as you both stand in line. 

“Finally.” You giggle. 

“Yeah, finally.” He laughs as well, bringing your hand to his lips to place a kiss over your knuckles. 

“Almost blew it Nadia.” Sam shakes his head. 

“Hey, you told me the line, Uncle Sam.” Nadia rolls her eyes. AJ and Cass snicker as does Bucky. 

“I told you to show the post it note, right there and then.” Sam gives her a playful glare. The kids giggle and snicker again. 

“I’m not babysitting any of you again, no matter how good your mother's brownies are and no matter if Sarah is my sister.” He then frowns at Bucky. 

“So now you know how it feels dealing with you.” Bucky grins at him enjoying the way Sam gets annoyed. 

“Where are my ten bucks?” Nadia pipes up from past her three layer sundae.

“Your what?” Sam raises a brow. 

“Bucky told me you’d pay me for my stellar acting.” 

“You did assure it.” Bucky adds. 

“I said payments in sundaes.” Sam taps the table. 

“Well a sundae is only 4.99 so I’d like two more.” Nadia grins and high fives AJ and Cass. 

Sam shakes his head going back to the counter. Grinning at the text Steve sent. 

‘She said yes for coffee! Thank you for the bookstore idea!’ 

permanent tags: @stevesmewmew @pandaxnienke

[theasstour]

since everyone’s talking about books, what are your top ten LEAST favorite books and why?

…….Alright then…….I don’t like spreading negativity and I rarely HATE a book but these… are unbearable

Let’s start like this: any book by Abbi Glines.

She writes new adult aka romance and smut with some darker themes. She’s written around 50 books and they’re all the same. Please take it from me and don’t read her stuff. I’ve read and finished five of her books and I cannot tell one from the other, they’re literally All The Same. One of the most uncreative authors I’ve ever read

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

This is BY FAR the worst of them all. The fact it’s gotten such a high rating on goodreads is disgusting. Let me just put it like this: the author had to make a video apologising to her readers for a scene in the book where the love interest basically forces the mc to have sex with him. She had to rewrite the book and republish it. Do with that information as you will.

ALSO, this is a legitimate quote from the book: Why would a girl care to find herself when she’ll never be able to make herself feel as good as a guy can?

AND LET ME RANT ABOUT BEN AKA THE LOVE INTEREST. Ben was a controlling twat. There were times in this book - especially when he talked about “owning her” during sex - that he made me put the book down and just take a break from reading it. Moments like when he put his hand over her mouth to stop her from talking. Moments when he tells her what to wear to make her feel more ‘confident’ and because “I’m paying for dinner, so I get to choose what to stare at while we eat.”. Moments when he thanks her for “this beautiful gift” when “giving her virginity to him”, and moments when he talks to her about what kind of panties she’s wearing because he couldn’t see a panty-lines on her ass when they were out and about around people…….. Charming. Can see why people idolise him.

The Studying Hours by Sara NeyWanted to read a sexy new adult book and tho I expected it to be filled with horny uni students and uni stuff… It was rather filled with men objectifying women and Ney trying to push it onto the reader that their sexist behaviour was hot. And the main character who was a bland ‘I’m not like other girls’ girl was so insignificant I can’t even remember her name. There was NO PLOT besides the guy wanting to shag that boring fucking mc and I gave up halfway when they hadn’t fucked yet. NEXT

Love on the Dole by Walter GreenwoodHorrible writing. It didn’t seem like Greenwood wanted to have fun when he wrote that AT ALL. I mean, sometimes you can tell when an author had fun when they wrote their book and other times it’s so bloody transparent that they hated it. Made it a good 100 pages in before I said fuck this

Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren OliverSuch a HUGE step down from the first book in the Delirium series that it physically HURT reading this one.

Two-Way Street by Lauren BarnholdtThe misogyny in this one… The sexism… The slut-shaming… It’s supposed to be a light-hearted YA romance. I’ve literally never been more disappointed when picking up a book I spent money on being shipped to me. The fact this book is written by a woman fucking baffles me, it’s that bad. They sell this book in stores and it’s supposed to be sold to young adults… as a coming of age story… makes no cents luv

High Fidelity by Nick HornbyThe main character, Rob is the most self-absorbed prick I’ve ever been unfortunate to have to read about. He literally only thinks about himself and uses women as a means to make himself feel better. He’s one of the most toxic people I’ve ever encountered

Mrs Dalloway by Virginia WoolfOne of the reasons why I’m not a big fan of Woolf is because I personally don’t like modernism and postmodernism. I just don’t find that genre of books very entertaining. Her writing is stunning but Mrs Dalloway… ma’am… it’s boring.

City Love by Susane ColasantiOne of the most boring YA books I’ve ever read it. The fact that 17 year old Nora was harsh on this book when she first read it says a lot. She loved all books, but that one… nothing happened, the characters were based on three different stereotype white girls with zero personality and their love interests were even worse

[kayliemusing]

43

1. Do you bite or lick ice cream? - Lick

2. What is home to you? - Cozy, safe, a place I always miss when I'm gone

3. What was the last lie you told? - My work asked me if I wanted to pick up a shift on a specific day and I said I had plans oops

4. Does everyone deserve the truth? - I think it depends on the situation. Generally, yes, but I think that sometimes we lie to people or don't tell an entire truth because we don't want to hurt someone or make something worse or hard on someone; we protect them. So I feel like if the truth is going to hurt them worse or not do any good, keep it to yourself. You don't have to lie outrageously, plus I think these kinds of lies aren't really "bad". They're coming from a place of love sometimes and quite literally wanting to shelter someone.

5. What is the creepiest toy ever made? - Furbies!!!!

6. Describe a moment in which you did something unacceptable in a bad situation. - I don't know if I'd call it "unacceptable" or a "bad situation" lol but one time my manager was really getting on my nerves and I rolled my eyes at her. We had a talk later, but yeah, that's really it. I'm not too crazy with the things I do lol. The most you get from me is a bit of an attitude (but only if I'm at my wits end!)

7. List two things that are more easily done than said. (No, I didn't mix them up.) - tbh I can't think of two but the first one that came to mind for me is showing someone you love them (taking care of them, spontaneously buying them something, giving them the last slice of pizza, listening to them chatter excitedly about something their passionate about, etc) because I think it's easier to subtly show little acts of love than to full on say "I love you/I'm in love with you" (especially if we fear rejection).

8. When was the last time you worked really hard to achieve something? - This week actually. I started a creating writing course and it's really motivated me to get my writing done so I completed an assignment as well as I have been vigorously stripping back my story idea and figuring out the main beats. It's the most productive writing-wise I've been in a while I think.

9. How many all nighters have you pulled? - Not too many. My all-nighters haven't been deliberate since a middle school sleepover, they generally happen now if I'm reading a book I can't put down lol

10. If humans didn't evolve to laugh or smile, how would we express our happiness instead? - Gestures, body language or words most likely.

11. How many romantic "things" or "flings" have you had? - Zero (wah wah wah wahhhh sad trombone)

12. What is your paradise? - I have a few!! I think there's a few lol. I'll give you one. My paradise would probably be a cozy december night, christmas only a few days away, I'm writing something I'm super into while sipping a cup of hot chocolate and I'm wearing a beautiful sweater and red lipstick. Anything cozy is my paradise really. (also in this dreamy-paradise I'm making (good) money off of my own writing so I don't have to work a minimum wage job anymore)

13. What is your favorite background noise? (Ex. Water dripping, people talking.) - I love the sound of rain hitting the car or going down a rain gutter. I also love the sound of birds chirping.

14. How many hearts do you think you have broken? - 1

15. What is the most important thing about electronics? What does this say about you? - I think it's good that we have something small and convenient like cellphones to get a hold of people or to call for help if we ever need it. Like I can't imagine being in the past when something serious was happening and they didn't have anyone to call for help.

16. Why do people care about celebrities? Do you care about celebrities? - I think people like the escape that celebrities bring, whether it's to live vicariously through them or to make fun of them lol. The only celebrity I really care about is Taylor Swift. I don't really know much else about any other celebrity.

17. What is the most annoying thing someone can do to you? - Embarrass me or make me feel stupid or undervalued.

18. Do you overexaggerate? What are the pros and cons of this? - I do sometimes, but not excessively. I do more so as a kid. Pro: it makes stories better. Con: you're kinda lying lol

19. Have you played any instruments before? Which instruments? - I tried to learn the guitar but it didn't work out lmao

20. Do you like taking selfies? Why or why not? - I used to. I'm not totally opposed to selfies, but I find that pictures of any kind make me feel worse about myself so I just quit doing it. If my makeup is really nice that day I'll take one and it'll be fine, but generally I just don't like to.

21. List 3 things you like about yourself? - My attention to detail - My deep seated kindness - I'm strong-willed so my beliefs and values never move

22. What is the best advice someone has ever given you? - Taylor Swift baby. "You are not the opinion of someone who doesn't know you or care about you" but I still have yet to let it sink in truly bc I still care oops. Also, writing advice: "Show, Don't Tell" this advice can literally save a writers life.

23. Do you have what it takes to raise a child? Why or why not? - I think I could raise a child, but I don't think I'm ready to. a) I don't have a person to raise a kid with me, b) I think I still have a lot of growing up to do and that's very important when it comes to having a kid.

24. How do you cheer yourself up after a bad day? - i cry, binge, feel sorry for myself, play some TS, and repeat.

25. When was the last time you felt awkward? - I feel awkward about everything. I felt super awkward at the grocery store yesterday bc there were these teenagers at the store in this huge pack and I had to try to get by them but they kept getting in my way and I felt so awks but also annoyed and angry bc I was trying to get stuff done.

26. Are you introverted or extroverted? Or a mixture of both? - Introverted

27. What constitutes a good friend? - Someone who is loyal, a good-listened, has your back, and defends you to the bone. Something that's always bothered me in friendships I've had is not feeling like my friend was on my side. For example, my sister's best friend always makes me laugh because when my sister is wronged by someone, her friend will immediately take her side and defend her to the ends of the earth. I've always hated if someone hurt me that my friend would remain friends with someone who hurt me or was mean to me. (I know as adults it can be a little different and I think it depends on the circumstance, but I just really value that loyalty of having a friend who would just go to the ends of the earth for you).

28. Would you rather have a lot of friends to hang out with or just one best friend? - One best friend.

29. In a regular day, what do you not want to hear? - my managers talking to me

30. What is your dream job? - Best-selling/successful author

31. Is it better to be lazy but smart or hardworking but unintelligent? -Hardworking but intelligent. Being hardworking I think says more to your character. Intelligence isn't the only interesting thing about you and it only takes you so far.

32. What is a truth about yourself that others find hard to believe? - I think probably that I struggle with my self worth because I preach a lot on self love and I'm definitely not a person to settle for less, but I really struggle to love myself or to feel worthy of love. Or that I'm not confident like people think, because I've always gotten that as a compliment, that I'm confident but I never ever feel confident and always feel like I'm less than.

33. What have you always wondered about the other gender? - why

34. Which fantasy world would you like to visit the most? - Not gonna lie, the Court of Thorns and Roses universe so I could see what Velaris looks like. Or Narnia!

35. Describe the worst friend you have ever befriended. - I had a friend in the fifth grade who was obsessed with beauty and being thin so she used to tell me I was fat all the time and when I would go to her house to "hang out" she would make me weigh myself and exercise. Probably the reason I have a low key eating disorder.

36. Imagine that you have switched bodies with someone you don't know. You can't switch back. What do you do? - I don't even know. I feel like I'd just be confused and then I'd probably have a panic attack.

37. If you found the recipe for immortality, would you sell it or would you burn it? - Burn it because someone bad is gonna get their hands on it I just know it

38. What is the most important, applicable class you have ever taken? - I haven't really taken many classes so far except for creative writing but I wouldn't call it "the most important" but it's definitely really bene benefiting me and my writing!

39. Name the last book you read. - I read Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover and it was a waste of ten dollars

40. Imagine that you are unable to express emotion. How would this affect your world? - I feel like it would call for a lot of hurt feelings, but there's other ways to express emotions through gestures and words. I'm a writer so I feel like that's how I would express it to people if I was unable to do it any other way. However if I was unable to express it through words, I'd be in big trouble bc that's kind of a writer's M.O.

41. When was the last time you made the first move? - Neveerrr

42. What is your opinion on electronic music such as dubstep or trap? - h a t e. it's racket, i'm sorry. however they CAN sometimes add something different to a song and make it more fun or different or just pull out a different vibe which I think is cool. I can't listen tho if it's ONLY electronic sounds. it just wears me down until i feel like stabbing my ears with pins.

43. What was the last movie you watched? - Not gonna lie I think it was Halloweentown High a couple weeks ago.

44. Do you like and appreciate your life? - I'm trying to be present and grateful for my life because overall, I feel like there have been this little blessings along the way. I had a good childhood, I had a great dad and I have a wonderful mom, I went to school, I graduated, I've met incredible people, I have a good job that pays well. But I'm still a little unhappy because it doesn't fully look the way I want it to. I'm not totally satisfied yet. So I don't think I fully like it, but I'm trying to.

45. Do you like and appreciate yourself? - No, that's something I really have a hard time accepting.

46. When was the last time you cried? - Yesterday but only got a little teary and I think it was over a tiktok lol. I think I cried a full cry last week but I don't even remember why. It was late at night. I was probably tired.

47. What are you scared of? - Spiders, loss, failure. the fun stuff.

48. What is the most embarrassing, cringe-worthy thing you have ever done? - i can't talk about it

49. What are some of your hobbies? - Reading, writing (obviously), listening to taylor swift music, making lists, scrolling through pinterest/tumblr/instagram, watching youtube.

50. What is a superficial yet annoying mistake you constantly make? - I can't spell occasion or occurrence without autocorrect. Idk if that's superficial or annoying to you but it's annoying to me.

51. Are you a good friend? What makes you a good friend? If not, what makes you a bad friend? - I try to be a good friend but I think there are many areas where I can improve. I think I'm a good friend because I'm deeply loyal and I love deeply. But I think I can be a better listener, less controlling (especially when it comes to things I think they should do vs what they actually do), and I'm really bad at making plans with people.

52. Do you honestly learn from your mistakes? - Yes

53. What have you learned the hard way? - That life is fragile and quick and it's not fair

54. What is the most important thing to have in order to attain happiness? - Contentment

55. Which medium do you use for expressing your artistic emotions? (Singing, writing, etc.) - Writing

56. Are you a creative or a logical thinker? - Creative

57. What is the smartest thing you have ever done? - choosing to stan taylor swift

58. What is your ideal meal? - Just give me a cheeseburger, large free and medium fruitopia from mcdonalds, i'll pretend not to have ibs, and we'll call it a day

59. What is the worst thing someone could do on a date? - talk about their ex or be rude to the wait staff if we're at a restaurant. those would be deal breakers for me.

60. Do you like animals? Which kind is your favorite? - I love hippos, cats, doggos, otters, hedgehogs, turtles, pigs, goats, birds, and raccoons.

61. If you could turn one legal thing illegal, what would it be? - paying minimum wage workers minimum wage. give me 800 bucks an hour for this bs thanks.

62. Do you have any guilty pleasures? - cheesy romance novels and buzzfeed quizzes

63. What is the best thing that the internet has ever created? - youtube. what would i do without tutorials and listening to the game grumps play nonsensical games.

64. Do you like playing video games? Which video games? - I really like choice-based video games like Detroit: Become Human. I also really like something low key like animal crossing where I don't have to think too hard and it's more relaxing than anything else.

65. What is your opinion on beauty in today's society? - Impossible and toxic. you'll never be "right" because it's always changing.

66. Are you a morning person? When do you usually wake up? - Definitely a morning person. I'm usually up between 8 and 9. if I sleep in it's because I didn't sleep well the night before.

67. Do you have a favorite Disney movie? Character? - I think my fav disney movie is Mulan maybe? I'm not too sure on my favourite disney character, I think maybe Prince Naveen from The Princess and The Frog??

68. Would you rather live in the city or in the countryside? - Why can't i have bothhhhh. I've equally wanted to live in a cute apartment in a big city AND on a little farmhouse on a countryside somewhere with a large feel and sunrises that make my heart all achey.

69. Would you rather live near the ocean or in the mountains? - Ocean

70. What are the best things about winter? - Christmastime, cozy sweaters, the crunch of snow under your boots, the pretty lights, coming inside where its arm after shoveling in the cold, hot chocolate, the way the street looks at night with just the streetlights, little snow birds in the trees!! so much so much so much!!!

71. What scares you most about the future? - this is going to sound depressing, but all the loss that waits there. like I know there will be change because everything is always changing and nothing can last forever so the idea of everything being different one day or losing people i love really overwhelms me.

72. What makes you feel old? - GenZ on tik toks making fun of millennials. I'm a "Zillennial" I think because I was born on the cusp of both generations so I relate with both but sometimes they say or do things and I feel like a boomer.

73. How many hours do you spend on the computer or phone on average? -The computer roughly three or four. My phone at least eight or nine hours.

74. What are some of your New Year's resolutions? - Practicing gratefulness and being present

75. What is your life story in 6 words? - What the hell? Well, this sucks.

76. Describe yourself in one word. - Gentle

77. What bad habits do you do? - Nail biting

78. What genre of music do you listen to? - Pop, alternative and worship

79. Most prominent childhood memory? - technically my dad dying - Family vacations to BC I think

80. Imagine if you had an older brother. If you already have one, what is it like? If you don't, how would this change your life? - I feel like my mom would be less stressed with household stuff like mowing the lawn, shoveling, moving furniture, etc. I think it would have been nice to have a brother around, especially after my dad died, but it eeez what it eeeez

81. Spirit animal? - tbh idk

82. Do you believe in horoscopes? - No, but they're fun to read on tumblr

83. What is the worst advice you've ever been given? - I don't think I've ever really had bad advice yet but there's always room for some!

84. List the 3 most important people in your life right now. - My mom, my sister, and my best friend megan

85. Favorite memory of your family. - Any of our family vacations

86. What do you look for in a relationship? - Companionship/Friendship, understanding, similar beliefs, loyalty

87. Do you have a role model? Why or why not? - A few. I really look up to Taylor Swift for obvious reasons because she's a wonderful human and an even better business woman. I look up to my dad because of how much he loved God and was kind to everyone, and I look up to my mom because I admire her strength and how her love grows and grows.

88. What is your opinion on social media? - It's toxic but it's part of our normal life now.

89. Are you a pessimist or an optimist? - A little of both. I think I can be really fatalistic when I'm not doing well, but when I'm in a healthy state I'm fairly optimistic.

90. List some things that you think are overpriced? - Makeup, Skin care, dairy queen combos, shampoo and conditioner.

91. What is your worst memory or creepiest experience? - Worst memory is definitely the one where my dad died.

92. What superpower would ruin the world? - Mind control

93. What is something you swore you would never do when you grew up, but you did anyway? - not go to college immediately. according to eighth grade me, i'm a total disappointment and i should have a full time career by now.

94. What lessons have you learned from movies and which movies were they? - I watched the disney movie Soul and I loved it so much because it was about the main character realizing he was always a musician even if he never made it insanely big. it spoke to me about my writing because I want to be a successful author but I loved the perspective of "you're already a writer"

95. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? - Montreal, NYC, Edinburgh are on the top of my list right now. If I spoke french I'd be moving to montreal tbh

96. How do you approach people? - I don't

97. What is your opinion on first impressions? - They're deceiving

98. What are some things you did as a child that you no longer do? - play with barbies for one thing

99. What languages can you speak? - English (and a couple words in french lmao)

100. What do you think society will be like in 30 years? - I can't even think that far into the future I'm sorry

101. What do you do on your lazy days? - I'm always having a lazy day, but lay around, don't do my makeup or hair, watch youtube, fret about the future, don't eat proper meals, listen to TS, scroll tumblr and then instagram, snapchat with my bestie.

102. What ended your last relationship? - I haven't been in one

103. Favorite food? - Cheesecake

104. What is the most terrifying dream you've ever had? - I'm not sure this is the scariest but I had dream a few years ago that I was in this dark house and there was a demon in the basement and it was pulling me in and I was trying to get away but I couldn't because it was literally sucking me in. I woke up with my heart racing lol

105. When was the last time you got seriously angry? - A couple weeks ago at one of my sister's friends bc I disagreed with something they did.

106. What was the last friendship you broke? - I ended a friendship with a friend about a year ago now because I just didn't feel connected to her anymore

107. Do you have any pet peeves? - TONS. people who don't like taylor swift, people who drag their feet while they're walking so their shoes make scuffing noises, people who put money on the counter instead of into my hand when i'm reaching for it, and people who treat me or others like they're stupid.

108. Who was the last person you gave a hug to? - it's been a while but my mom

109. When was the last time you got seriously stressed? - yesterday bc I couldn't figure out how to hand in my project

110. What are your favourite baby names? - I love Gracie, Ryder, River, Elowen, Leila, Sadie, Spencer, Tatum, Santiago, and Ronan. (I'm kind of into Wilder too but I don't know how I feel about it lol)

[escapeinpapers]

MAY WRAP-UP

This month, I think I spent way too much time in booktube that my attention for a certain book quickly goes to another one. I’m quite mad at myself because I had not been consistent of my May TBR. Even so, I’m still pretty proud of myself because I’ve read more than what I expected to read. Also, I would say there were books that disappointed me this month but there were some that I quickly rated as 5 stars and made me so emotional.

So here are the books that I’ve read for the month of May.

NEW ADULT/ADULT ROMANCE

To Love Jason Thorn by Ella Maise (2/5)

The story is told by POV’s main characters, Olive and Jason. Olive is an indie author whose book will be adapted into a movie. She then finds out that the actor who will be playing the male protagonist is her brother’s childhood bestfriend/ her childhood crush and first love, Jason.

I honestly love the childhood crush and second chance romance trope on this book but it was getting bad and bad as I continue to read. I even prepared myself to be ready for a major twist or revelation but I was just disappointed. It felt like there was no real and impressive conflict on their relationship. I enjoyed the first few chapters and maybe towards the first half but it just got really crappy. There were cringey love scenes and sometimes the characters were being dumb that it is so frustrating.

(P.s. Every time Jason calls Olive “little one”, I cringe and I remember Thanos from Avengers lol.)

The Guy on the Right by Kate Stewart (3.5/5)

This is a friends to lovers novel. Main characters are Theo and Laney. Theo is quite shy and a reserved person. He lives in a house with Troy, the popular playboy roommate. He calls himself as “the guy on the right” because Troy always takes the spotlight and many girls go after him. He met Laney on a party. She, on the other hand is the quirky, outspoken and hardworking country girl. They became close, started a social media page and they eventually fell in love with each other.

This is my first new adult book ever. I’m usually into young adult and adult books so it was a huge step for me to explore this genre and gladly I enjoyed this book and now I’m more interested to read other new adult books. The storyline was good. I gave it only 3.5 stars because it was just an okay read for me. I love the elements of music and social media. The characters were also charming in their own ways. And you’ll get quotations called Grannism every end of a chapter. Some were really relatable.

Read my full review:

The Naked Truth by Vi Keeland (4/5)

The book is all about a second chance romance. Layla, a lawyer, was asked to do the pitch for a prospect client to their law firm. She didn’t know that the client she’s gonna impress was Gray, her ex who just got out of prison. Gray want Layla back and he wants to clear all the misunderstanding and explain to her why he had to lie to her.

I didn’t expect to love this book. I love the shift of timelines from present to the past. I thought that it will be just full of steamy scenes but the plot was amazing. The twists and turns were impressive. There’s one that really struck me and I literally screamed with that revelation. It was a major drama I didn’t see coming. I think people who love K-Drama (like me) would like this book. I also love how the author portrayed the aspects of family, marriage as well as death. The lawyer-prisoner romance was also interesting. It is my first time reading that kind of trope. My only issue with this book is Layla being sometimes annoying with her petty arguments.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (5/5)

Due to food poisoning, Olive’s twin sister and Ethan’s brother can’t make it to their honeymoon in Maui. Thus, Olive and Ethan were asked to take their places. The problem is, Olive and Ethan do not get along very well. They pretty much hate each other’s guts but the two need to work together and act as newly married couple. Only, they didn’t realize that this free vacation is changing their lives.

This was an easy 5 stars for me. I enjoyed this book so much because it was atmospheric. It felt like I was on the beach myself because of how engaging the story was. The enemy to lovers and fake marriage/relationship tropes were done beautifully. I was easily hooked into the story and the twists were just freaking good. Olive and Ethan’s chemistry is so strong. Their banters were very fun. I just love love love this book.

Read my full review:

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover (5/5)

The story revolves around Tate and Miles. Tate is a nurse who has no time for love and Miles is a pilot who doesn’t want to love again. Their first meeting was not great but their paths always cross because he’s her new neighbor and he’s her brother’s friend and co-pilot. Physical attraction grew between them and they can’t put aside their desires so they had some sort of friends with benefits relationship. But things get really bad because they are slowly breaking their own rules.

This is officially one of my favorite books of all time. Everything in this book is just perfect. I kind of judged this book very wrongly 2 years ago when I first tried to read this because I thought it will be just about sex and at that time my smut level on books was really low. But, I decided to read it again out of a whim at freaking midnight. I looked past through the love scenes (though idk I find it dreamy and romantic now) and focused on the story, and swear, I was blown away. I never thought that I would cry so badly again over a book.

Read my full review:

FANTASY

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2/5)

This is somewhat a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Feyre, a normal mortal girl, killed a Faerie (a magical creature) while she was hunting for food. She was punished to live in a High Fae’s manor to pay for the life she had taken and she ends up falling in love with Tamlin, her captor who can shapeshift and who wears a crappy mask.

I really want to love this book. Some people told me to don’t stop reading because it will get good. But sadly, I just did not like it (Sorry! ). The writing is atmospheric though, I admired it at first. However, as I go on, the description of the settings or for the other things were too much and I think did not necessarily affect the situation at hand. Sometimes, it was just too flowery and over with metaphors. Feyre and Tamlin as characters were not effective, their chemistry is “meh”. There were cringey lines especially on the love scenes. The plot twists were not hard for me to predict. I think this book was not just for me to read. Though, I’ve been told that the sequel is the best among the series so I might give it a shot soon.

The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow & Bone (3/5)

Siege & Storm (3/5)

Ruin & Rising (2/5)

Alina had discovered her unique powers to summon light when they were assigned to cross the Shadow Fold. It’s a forsaken place of impenetrable darkness with flesh eating monsters. Leaving Mal, her childhood bestfriend and the guy that she also likes, she was sent to the Little Palace to work with the magical elites called Grisha in hopes that she could destroy the fold and unite Ravka. While working to hone her powers, she finds herself developing feelings for The Darkling, the mysterious and attractive as hell leader of Grisha. On her journey to destroy the Shadow Fold, she encountered many challenges, revelations and truth about the people around her.

I really had high expectations for this series because I love the author and her Six of Crows duology. But I was again, disappointed. It’s not that it was that bad, it was not just as great as I expected it to be. I have a love and hate relationship with this series. The first book was good. The build up of the story was beautifully done. I love the magical system and the characters were intriguing, but only at first. I understand why the Darkling is hyped up till now because he is absolutely mysterious and hot (plus Ben Barnes will be playing the role for the Netflix adaptation). Revealing Alina’s power as well as the Darkling’s was very cool. The second book is where the Darkling gets literally dark. Even though this was more tensed because of the twists, I enjoyed and laughed many times than the first book because of Nikolai. He’s not the main character of this series but its funny because I like him the most. Scratch that. I love him. The third book was just so disappointing. I enjoyed the side characters’ romance more and the twists were not that impressive. And the ending? Worst. I think there’s one common denominator of all the things that I didn’t like in this series, and that is Alina being a typical weak female protagonist. She is just annoying sometimes, too dependent of the other characters and does weak and petty arguments.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (5/5)

This is the sequel of the Six of Crows duology. Kaz and his crew did the heist they were asked to do but they had to face their consequences and take down the real enemy. As much as I’m excited to tell you more about the plot, I won’t go any further because I don’t want to spoil anything.

I absolutely love the first book and I was not disappointed with this one. This is my best fantasy reads so far. I fell in love more with Kaz, Inej, Matthias, Niña, Wylan and Jesper. They are just freaking amazing. The character development was done so good. The plot twists are super amazing and I got fooled many times. Also, the ending is so satisfying. I have to admit, I enjoyed this duology more than The Grisha Trilogy.

Read my full review:

YOUNG ADULT CONTEMPORARY

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston (4/5)

We follow Sophie’s journey towards healing her broken heart. Her Grandma decided to set up her in blind dates and the guys he’ll be dating are chosen by some of her family members. So, she went onto these days, in hopes to forget her ex-boyfriend. But things get complicated. Her ex wants her back but the feelings she had for an old friend is growing back.

If you’re looking for something that is light, cute and a quick read, this is the book for you. The blind dating thing was just very cute. I never expected to like it, but it was just interesting and each date was fun in their own ways. I also love the essence of family and friendship on this book. As a person who grew up in a family-oriented household, I can relate so much of the main character.

Read my full review:

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (5/5)

In this world, there’s this system called Death Cast. They call people to give them an alert that they’re gonna die on that day. No when and how but only the information that on that day that you are called, it’s your time to say goodbye to the world. Mateo had been always paranoid about the time that he will receive the call. So, when Death Cast called him, he had been more paranoid than ever. Then, he met Rufus, who’s also gonna die that day, through The Last Friend app. Despite the two having very different attitude towards accepting their death, they decided to spend their last day together.

This is the kind of book that is very hard to put down. The title itself is already very intriguing. All the time I was reading this, I can’t help but to be anxious because knowing anytime soon, Rufus and Mateo are gonna die. I had a lot of theories on how they would die but it was no where near. The narration is very deceiving which I love. The message of this book is also very touching plus the characters are very relatable and I can’t help to put myself in their shoes. I know it is unpleasant to think about death especially these times but this book just made me realize things about life and it made me reflect and ask myself on how I’ve been living my life so far. I love this book so much that it is one of my best reads for this year and I might make a full review for this one.

So those were all the books that I've read for the month of May. For June, I've been thinking to read genres that I don't usually read such as msytery and thrillers. I hope I would be consistent on my next month's TBR.

Thank you for reading. I hope some of the books caught your interest. Till my next post ❤

[haleyfury]

If you couldn’t tell by the title, today is my twenty-second birthday. To say the least, it’s definitely a weird birthday thanks to our current reality. I’ll be going out shopping – in mostly outdoor shopping outlets –  for the first time since January and I have plans to celebrate with friends later on this week. 21 was a big growing up year for me, and despite the events of the last five months or so, I loved being 21. I think 22 is going to be another big growing up year for me, as I navigate post-college life, real working world and grad school included. I’m trying to be more optimistic and less stressed in August, and I want to do my best to carry out this attitude this year!

I wanted to bring some birthday cheer to the blog today, so I’ll be sharing 22 of my favorite things that have brought me so much joy this summer, in the forms of books, TV/movies, and podcasts – you’ll likely recognize a few repeats from my monthly wrap-ups but I can’t stop gushing about them so much! I also didn’t want to share strictly books because I recently shared my favorite reads of 2020, and let’s be honest yearly wrap ups or a summer wrap up will be here before we know it!

Books

Some books that I’ve LOVED but haven’t shared too many details about yet or full reviews for include: 

The Heir Affair (The Royal We #2) by Jessica Morgan and Heather Cocks – I feel like I’ve mentioned The Heir Affair in so many blog posts this summer, but I officially read & finished it last week… and I can’t stop thinking about this sequel to The Royal We! I actually got too impatient to wait for a physical copy from the library, so I borrowed a digital copy and devoured it on my Kindle in about 2 days. The Heir Affair was everything I wanted in this sequel, and while I’m really content with the way it ended, I seriously would not mind a third book. 

Anna K by Jenny Lee – Anna K is hands-down one of the best YA books I’ve read in 2020. I’ve come to realize that I don’t want to use the Gossip Girl meets Crazy Rich Asians comparison because while it has GG vibes (and honestly not really CRA), it is such a story of its own. I loved its Anna Karenina retelling, and it just felt so mature. I seriously cannot wait to get my hands on the upcoming sequel. 

Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman – I didn’t write a review of Deborah Feldman’s Unorthodox, having just included in in my July wrap-up, but it definitely didn’t do how much I loved this memoir justice! This was another Kindle read because I didn’t want to wait for a physical library copy. I watched the Netflix adaptation back in March, and while I feel like the show captured the spirit of the book (Deborah Feldman was also a big part of the project), her memoir is just so, so good and so different from the show. Almost immediately after finishing it I borrowed her second memoir, Exodus, and enjoyed that read too. 

From Sand and Ash by Amy Harmon – I admit that I’ve become more critical about what historical fiction I pick up because of my coursework and reading in Holocaust Studies, but I thought From Sand and Ash was a really well-written and untold story set during WWII. The book follows a Catholic priest and a Jewish woman who were raised together pre- WWII and the efforts the two go through trying to hide Jewish people in WWII time Italy, while they also have feelings for one another. 

Books I’ve also loved, but also feel like I’ve been talking non-stop about include:

All Adults Here by Emma Straub – Seriosuly, everyone needs to give all of her books a chance and I think her latest release, All Adults Here, is the perfect one to start with.

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle – The BEST contemporary romance I’ve read this summer (and maybe ever??). 

Beach Read by Emily Henry – The.hype.is.true!!! Please take this one with you on your travels to the beach, pool, or bed this August! 

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo – Such a must-read YA book. I loved Emoni’s story about raising her daughter and her dreams of going to culinary school. 

Have a Little Faith in Me by Sonia Hartl – If you’re looking for a YA book with great discussions surrounding sex and religion (and want to transport yourself to summer camp), Have a Little Faith in Me is the perfect read for you. 

10 Things I Hate About Pinky by Sandhya Menon – It really isn’t summer without a Sandhya Menon book, and her latest release is another must read, especially for those who love frenemies-to-lovers.

Some romance reads I’ve talked A LOT about and have really enjoyed include Colleen Hoover’s Verity, Hannah Orenstein’s Playing with Matches, Robinne Lee’s The Idea of You, & my reread of Rainbow Rowell’s Attachments. 

TV/Movies 

Below Deck Mediterranean S5 (Bravo) – Below Deck has pretty much been my reality TV obsession since stay-at-home life started back in March. The latest spinoff season, Below Deck Mediterranean, might just be my favorite season yet. I love the crew and its female leadership and the drama has me so hooked this season especially. 

Selling Sunset S2 & S3 (Netflix) – I really think Selling Sunset might be my favorite Netflix reality show. I watched the second season over Memorial Day weekend, and at the time I’m writing this post, I’ve watched the first 6 episodes of season 3. I know I���ll likely have finished the whole season by this morning! I admit that the drama between the women is way over the top, but at the same time, I can’t get over the extravagance of their lives & jobs. 

The West Wing (NBC/Netflix) – The West Wing has been my family’s watch since about June. I think because of Parks & Recreation, it often pops up on my Netflix recommendations. My parents decided to rewatch it, especially because major league sports hadn’t been on for a while. I’m still on the first season – we’ve slowed down since baseball came back on- but I’m ready to sneakily watch it on my own because I love it so much.

Sleepless in Seattle (Netflix) – You might know that I love movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s, so it might seem really weird that I’ve only just watched Sleepless in Seattle for the first time! I really loved it! I enjoyed it a lot more than You’ve Got Mail, but I still have to watch When Harry Met Sally so I can properly share my rankings. 

The Politician S2 (Netflix) – If you’re craving a slightly ridicuslous, but absolutely addicting watch, please go watch The Politician ASAP. I think I liked the first season more than this second season… but that doesn’t mean I didn’t finish it in less than two days and find myself listening to Ben Platt’s cover “Corner of the Sky” all the time. 

Sugar Rush: Extra Sweet (Netflix) – I’ve recently realized that Sugar Rush might just be my favorite baking competition show! I feel like it’s so refreshing from other American baking shows because the judges are just so nice and not super critical, and I really love the themes in this season. 

The Babysitters Club (Netflix) – The Babysitters Club is another thing I feel like I keep mentioning in posts, so I think that’s enough of a sign that it’s time for you to watch if you haven’t! 

Podcasts

Bad on Paper – Bad on Paper is definitely going to make it’s way on to my yearly favorites wrap-up. I’ve really ventured into the world of podcasts in 2020, but Bad on Paper is my absolute favorite. I specifically make time to walk or do some sort of activity (mostly baking or cleaning) so I can listen to their new episodes on Wednesdays. Their podcast is such the perfect blend of books and conversations about careers, life, shopping, pop culture and more. I also love reading Grace’s blog, The Stripe, and I loved the first season of Becca’s RomCom Pods. 

“Behind-the-Scenes of Book Marketing with Morgan Hot (@nycbookgirl)” Episode by Sarah Bookshelves Lives – Another favorite bookish podcast of mine is Sarah Bookshelves Live. She does bi-weekly episodes in the summer- I also think she’ll be starting the fall with bi-weekly episodes as well-, but my favorite so far has been with Morgan of the bookstagram, @nycbookgirl, who also works in publishing. I loved her insight on the industry.

What have some of your summer favorites been? Any I mentioned? Do you have any book, TV, or podcast recommendations for me? Share in the comments!

Happy 22nd Birthday to Me: 22 Favorite Books, TV Shows & More  If you couldn’t tell by the title, today is my twenty-second birthday. To say the least, it’s definitely a weird birthday thanks to our current reality.