Monthly Rewind — April 2013!

May 1, 2013 by · 9 Comments

Image From April

outside reading

April In One Word

 

SUNSHINE!

5 Things That Happened In April:

1. Will and I found our new favorite brunch spot where we got red velvet pancakes and chicken & waffles eggs Benedict. I WILL TAKE YOU HERE IF YOU COME VISIT ME!
2. Found out if my sister was having a boy or a girl and….she’s having a girl!! Genevieve gets to be a big sis!
3. Our car got broken into — WOMP WOMP. I’m still really angry about it! I did some sleuthing but nothing panned out like I hoped.
4. I read outside A LOT. We had a week of 80 degree weather (followed by weeks of rain and 40 degree weather lol).
5. I had a really fun girl’s weekend that I REALLY need while Will was away! Nice to catch up with old friends & get to know new ones better.

6 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

I put all my Monthly Rewinds In a Spotify playlist so you can listen to them here now !

 

1. Half  Moon by Blind Pilot

2. Rainy Saturday by Hayden

3. Where Did You Go by White Woods

4. When I Can’t Sleep by Pascal Pinon (loooove this whole album. YAY ICELANDIC BANDS)

5. Goldrushed by The Royal Concept (Strangely I found this song because of Will playing FIFA so much. GOOD MUSIC ON THAT GAME)

6. Somebody by Jukebox the Ghost

Top 2 Books I Read This Month:

1. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (review to come!)

Most Popular Review This Month

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow RowellNo surprise with this one!!

Most Popular 5 Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. Beyond The Pages  — I got REAL personal here and you guys made me cry. I’m STILL responding to comments.
2. Jamie Gets Self  Conscious Sometimes – Talked about two ways I feel self conscious as a reader because of blogging.
3. Before & After #8 — Talking about CHUNKY books!
4. Top Ten Fictional Crushes in Books — no surprise here!!
5. Top Ten Books I Liked More/Less Than I Thought I Did — this one was sooo fun guys! Loved that some people came out of the woodwork for the LESS portion!!

 

3 New Obsessions In April

1. This sweet potato Tandoori salad that Will and I have been making. YUM.
2. Spotify!! I had been meaning to get it forever ago but FINALLY did and I’m obsessed.
3.  Green Eggs Cafe in Philly!

2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In May

1. OMG BEA!! Is there anything else REALLY??? I get to see all my friends!!
2. Our pool opening up at our apartment so I can stop being so PASTY!

Favorite Quote From A Book I Read In April

“What are the chances you’d ever meet someone like that? he wondered. Someone you could love forever, someone who would forever love you back? And what did you do when that person was born half a world away? The math seemed impossible.” ― Rainbow Rowell, Eleanor & Park


What sort of things were noteworthy for you in April? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Great posts  I  missed on your blog? Tell me! :)

 

 

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April’s Most Wanted + March Rewind….ALL IN ONE

April 1, 2013 by · 8 Comments

So I was lazy over the weekend because I was visiting my family and never posted these separately as I planned to on Saturday and Sunday…so you are getting a combo post today!

April YA releases 2013

I know I always highlight upcoming releases in my Catalog Creepin’ posts but typically those are far off. I wanted to highlight the releases for the month I’m most excited about (and you know..help me actually remember about them). In my “Most Wanted” posts I’ll highlight a handful I’m excited to and the categories will be at random and different probably every time depending on what I feel like.

A Contemporary Pick

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This looks like so much fun and such a cute read! I wish I would have had my copy with me to get signed when I ran into the author at a book event in the city!! She was so sweet!
Add to Goodreads

 

A Post-Apocalyptic Pick

The Ward by Jordana Frankel

 

The setting sounds so interesting — a waterlogged Manhattan? I’m so intrigued and want to find out how it got that way and what the rest of the world is like. Love a good post-apocalyptic type novel so I plan on getting to this one soon especially since I had this out on loan to a friend and she enjoyed it!
Add to Goodreads

A Book From An Author I’ve Previously Read

This Is What Happy Looks Like Jennifer E. Smith
You all know how much I loved The Statistical Probability of Love At First Sight so naturally I’ve had my eye on this one for a while. SO thankful for my friend Mitali for letting me borrow this.
Add to Goodreads


A Debut

Arclight by Josie McQuien

I’m so intrigued by this one and I’ve heard good things about it. I don’t even really understand what it is about but the elements in the summary really piqued my interest — a light that nobody can cross but someone does? What is this place?? How did this girl do something that nobody else could?? QUESTIONS.
Add to Goodreads

April Releases I’ve Read:
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My review of The Program by Suzanne Young
A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty (review to come!)

So guys, which ones have you read? Which ones are you excited for? What are some other April releases you are looking forward to? And for the love of puppies, please tell me which ones I should read FIRST?

 

MARCH REWIND

 

Image From March

photo(57)

March In One Word

 

New York (ok two words really)

5 Things That Happened In March:

1. Went to a huge signing at Books of Wonder as part of the Teen Author Festival. Such a fun day with 2 of my book club friends plus countless others.
2. Will and I went to New York for the day and wandered and then went to Atlantic 10 tourny bball game (I people watched).
3.  My sister got engaged!!
4. I finally got to meet Snarkles and toured Epic Reads!
5. Went to visit my dad, stepmom and sister during Easter weekend!

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. I Am The Antichrist To You by Kishi Bashi (Also at #6 was It All Began With A Burst)

2. 1957  by Milo Greene

3. Time To Run — Lord Huron

4. Running For Cover by Ivan & Alyosha

5. Smashed Birds by Soley

Top 3 Books I Read This Month:

1. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley
2. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
3. Golden by Jessi Kirby (review to come!)

Most Popular Review This Month

Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Review of Cinder by Marissa Meyer — you guys steered me in the right direction so clearly you had stuff to say about my feelings for it!
No surprise here since everyone kept shouting at me to read it!! SO GLAD I LISTENED!

Most Popular 5 Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. A Moment Of Truth On The Blogging Front — you guys, I love you. That’s all. You have no idea how much your words meant to me.
2. Cozying Up With Old Friends – In this installment of Before & After I loved learning all of our rereading habits!
3. Book Real Estate — this is why you guys are my people!
4. Books I HAD To Buy But Still Sitting On My Shelf Unread — oh the shame!
5. Top Ten Books On My Spring TBR List — I’ve already started on some of these!

 

3 New Obsessions In March

1. Julep!!! You love nail polish? OMG YOU MUST.
2. Ben & Jerry’s froyo flavor of Half Baked (because it makes me feel like it’s not SO BAD)
3. Bark’s hot dogs in Brooklyn — I don’t often eat hot dogs anymore but OMG Will and I are kiiiind of going to have a diet detour anytime we are in Brooklyn.

2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In April

1. Finding out the sex of my sister’s baby!
2. Spring time weather because March failed to deliver on that. FREAKING SNOW IN MARCH!

Favorite Quote From March


I like that about art, that what you see is sometimes more about who you are than what’s on the wall. I look at this painting and think about how everyone has some secret inside, something sleeping like that yellow bird.”
― Cath Crowley, Graffiti Moon

What sort of things were noteworthy for you in March? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Great posts I missed on your blog? Tell me! :)

 

 

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Monthly Rewind — February 2013!

March 1, 2013 by · 15 Comments

Image From February

20130227-085824.jpg

February In One Word

 

FUN!

5 Things That Happened In February:

1. The lovely Margot came to town and I got to get in touch with my inner Anna and pose in her Anna and the French Kiss fauxto. Check it out!
2. Went on a sushi date with Will for Valentine’s Day!
3. Found my new favorite cafe (thanks to the photoshoot with Margot) and now Will and I are hooked. That yummy looking chocolate croissant is from there!
4. I went to NYC for the day for the Dark Days tour and got to see Alexa and Vi again and FINALLY meet Estelle.
5. Will and I started going to a gym (rather than the small free one we had been using at our complex) and strangely I’m enjoying our gym time. Though I cry every time Will makes me do the abs circuit.

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. Pretty Baby by Brendan Benson

2. Such Great Heights by Postal Service (Getting pumped for the concert in June OMG I’VE BEEN WAITING 10 YEARS FOR THIS. 18 year old Jamie circa 2003 is giddy as well. DYING.)

3. We The Common by Thao & The Get Down  Stay Down

4. Wild by Royal Teeth

5. Ramona by Night Beds (This whole album is FANTASTIC. I keep listening to it over and over again.)

Top 2 Books I Read This Month:

1. Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
2.  Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (Review to come!)

Most Popular Review This Month

Something Like Normal by Trish Doller
Review of Something  Like Normal by Trish Doller
No surprise here since everyone kept shouting at me to read it!! SO GLAD I LISTENED!

Most Popular 5 Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. My list of authors who are on my “auto-buy” list  — I don’t even read what their books are about..they just get added!
2. My Top Ten Bookish Memories — I LOVED being able to share some fun and special moments with you guys & hear yours!
3. My first post of a new series I’m doing!
4. My favorite romances — how predictable you GUYS. You guys?  Like swoon and romance? NAHHH.
5. My ode to old books basically — some of you understood my romantical feelings about them and some of you said EW NO..new books only. This is why I love you all.

 

3 New Obsessions In February

1. A gem of a French cafe nearby!
2. These yummy sweet potato tacos Will and I have been making.
3.  This isn’t really a “new” obsession but I’ve been obsessed with listening to the music I loved back in high school/early college. PUNK ROCK PRINCESS!!

2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In March

1. Hopefully some nicer Spring weather! Come on, Mother Nature!
2. Getting a job…gosh I sound redundant every month! But seriously…it is BOUND to happen one of these times!

Favorite Quote From January

There’s an exaggerated kind of industriousness to their movements, bright and false, like kids pretending to be absorbed in taking notes so the teacher doesn’t call on them. Mom is unscrewing a giant bottle of vitamin pills that gives off a scent like rubber flowers, Dad’s pouring himself a glass of water at the sink, and for the first time since Sukey died I can see us clearly, hovering at the intersection of love and avoidance like lost tourists who can’t decide which road will bring them home.”  — Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith (This quote comes from the ARC  so I’ll have to check against the finished copy when it comes out but gahhh her writing is too beautiful to not share).


What sort of things were noteworthy for you in February? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Gretat posts  I  missed on your blog? Tell me! :)

 

 

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Monthly Rewind — November!

December 2, 2012 by · 10 Comments

Image From November

Loving all the seasonal flavors!

November In One Word

 

LAZY

4 Things That Happened In November:

1. Went up to my dad’s for Thanksgiving and had a great time with the fam!
2. Will got his job back! Woohoo! Now we just need for me to have some good luck!
3. I got miserably sick with some cold.
4. My sister & I did our sisterly bonding tradition and saw Breaking Dawn 2 at midnight! CRAZY ENDING.

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. Stars by Grace Potter & The Nocturnals (Forgot how much I loved this artist until Amanda on the The Voice sang two of her songs)
2. Smother by Daughter (Thanks for this rec, Ginger!)
3. Itchin’ On A Photograph by Grouplove
4. The Time To Sleep by Marble Sounds
5. I Don’t Have  Time To Be In  Love by Priscilla Ahn

Top 2 Books I Read This Month:

1. Just One Day by Gayle Forman
2. Audrey, Wait! by Robin Benway

Most Popular Review This Month

Most Popular 4 Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. Interview With Team Epic Reads
2. Most Anticipated Reads of 2013
3. Top Ten Things That Books Make Me Want To Do
4. The most epic book haul this year

3 New Obsessions In November

1. My new Benefit Total Moisture face cream
2. Alterna Caviar shampoo & conditioner
3. Origins Checks & Balances face wash (clearly I went on a Sephora run this month)

2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In December

1. My first Christmas as a married lady and all that goes with that — the tree, decorating, etc.
2. Babysitting my adorable niece to help my sister out

3 Books I’m Looking Forward To Being Released In December

 

Strangely NONE. I’m getting caught up! WEEE!
What sort of things were noteworthy for you in November? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Tell me! :)

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Monthly Rewind – October Edition!

November 1, 2012 by · 17 Comments

Image From October


October In One Word

PUMPKINS (seriously — ALL OF THE PUMPKIN THINGS – pumpkin picking, cookies, ice cream, lattes, carving, muffins, etc.)

5 Things That Happened In October:

1. We went pumpkin picking with my sister’s family and took adorable pics of my adorable baby niece in the pumpkin patch!
2. Will also lost his job…yeah. I know, how unlucky are we? I lose mine a week before the wedding, him now. His was a SHOCK!
3. Will and I explored the park and the trails near our house! So fun!
4. I went to the Fierce Reads tour in Philly and it was AWESOME.
5. I experienced a hurricane here in Philly! (I’m totally writing this on Sunday night as Sandy is rolling in so I have no idea how bad it’s going to be!)

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. The A-Team by Ed Sheeran
2. Either Way by Beta Radio
3. A Little Taste by Skyler Stonestreet (You may have heard this in the ABC trailer for Once Upon A Time, Revenge & 666 Park Ave)
4.  Older Brother by Pepper Rabbit
5. Concrete Wall by Zee Avi (OMG! OBSESSED.)

Top 2 Books I Read This Month:

1. Every Day by David Levithan
2. Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Most Popular Review This Month

YA dystopian for Hunger Games fan
Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi — stayed up ALL night reading it! I guess people were FINALLY happy that I got around to this one.

Most Popular 4 Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. My post about How Books Are Helping Me To Become More Fit & More Productive — you guys ROCK! I loved all the comments on this with encouragement, advice and what’s worked for you!
2. My YA’s Got Talent post
3. Top Ten Older Books I Don’t Want People To Forget
4. A Very Bookish Playlist

3 New Obsessions In October

2. A really cute burgundy bag I bought from H&M
3. Hot cocoa with ALMOND MILK. We don’t buy cow’s milk anymore and so I was nervous to how it would taste in cocoa! SO GOOD.

2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In November

1. Going to visit my dad & family over Thanksgiving!
2. Hopefully freaking finding a JOB! Positive thinking…see…that’s what I’m doing here!

3 Books I’m Looking Forward To Being Released In November

Meant To Be by Lauren Morrill (Out November 13th 2012)
Collateral by Ellen Hopkins (Out November 6th 2012)
My Beautiful Failure by Janet Ruth Young (Out November 13 2012)

What sort of things were noteworthy for you in October? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Tell me! :)

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I Think We Can All Agree That The Best Thing To Happen This Month Was…

September 30, 2012 by · 12 Comments

Image From September

September In One Word

Newlyweds!
5 Things That Happened In September:

1. I met John Green and acted like a complete spazoid!!!! BEST THING TO HAPPEN THIS MONTH.
2. I switched from a Droid to the Iphone 5 and  I couldn’t be happier!
3. I got to meet Alexa from Alexa Loves Books finally!  Love that girl!
4. I got a library card so I can  use the library county where we  moved!
5. I started working  out. Ugh. I hate working out.

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. Some Nights by Fun (I was really into this song earlier this year and then it got overplayed and now I keep listening to it again)
2. Little Black Submarines by Black Keys
3. Islands by Hey Ocean
4. Ho Hey by The Lumineers (yep, still on this list again this month)
5. Lost In My Mind by The Head and the Heart (literally have just been obsessed with this album since last year. Since my days in high school and college…Sub Pop records always seems to churn out things I love).

Top 2 Books I Read This Month:

1. Through The Ever Night by Veronica Rossi
2. The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandannu

Most Popular Review This Month
Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry — which I LIKED but also wanted to gag about all the pet names (nymph and siren to name a few!)
Most Popular 3 Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. Reading In the Car (I have no idea how one of my most popular posts ever is about the fact that for once I didn’t vom while reading in the car. This is why I love you guys lol)
2.Top Ten Book On My To Be Read List Fall 2012
3. One Of My Biggest Bookish Fears

3 New Obsessions In September
1. Revenge — omg Will and  I  started watching this show this month and it’s AMAZING.
2. My Iphone 5!!
3. Almond Milk
2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In October
1. My birthday! Though I’m totally not excited about turning 27.
2. Going to the Fierce Reads tour in the Philly suburbs!

3 Books I’m Looking Forward To Being Released In October
Eve & Adam by Michael Grant and Katherine Applegate (Out October 2nd)
Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz (Out October 2)
Send Me A Sign by Tiffany Schmidt (Out October 2nd)
What sort of things were noteworthy for you in September? New obsessions? Best books you read this month? Tell me! :)

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Monthly Rewind

September 2, 2012 by · 4 Comments

Image From August

August In One Word

WEDDING!!
5 Things That Happened In August:

1. I got married to Will after being together for 5 and 1/2 years.
2. I lost my job (totally a good thing in a way — I loathed that job!)
3. I started blogging again on a regular basis.
4. We honeymooned in Mexico!
5. I got to be reunited with Steph Su! She came home from Shanghai for my wedding!

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. Hey Ho — The Lumineers
2. Welcome Home – Radical Face
3.  Mountain Sound — Of Monsters & Men
4. Paper Gown – Caroline Herring
5. Jealous Girl — Ben Kweller (OMG I loved him my freshman year in college! Happy to hear new stuff)

Top 2 Books I Read This Month:

1. The Girl of Fire & Thorns by Rae Carson
2.  Not That Kind Of Girl by Siobhan Vivian

Most Popular Review This Month
Most Popular Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. Preview of My Wedding Post
2. Things I’m Afraid To Tell You – One Book Blogger Confesses All
3. Top Ten Tuesday — Bookish Confessions

3 New Obsessions In August
1. Green smoothies — I’ve made so many different combinations. SO MUCH YUM.
2. Ruche. I freaking love their clothes.
3.  Honest Tea.  I’ve had it prior to August but it seems to be my drink de jour this month.
2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In September
1. National Book Fest in DC. JOHN GREEN!!!
2. Trying to figure out what I want to do career/life wise.
What sort of things were noteworthy for you in August? New obsessions? Best books you read this month? Tell me! :)

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Monthly Rewind: January 2012

February 2, 2012 by · 14 Comments
Image From January
My niece Genevieve was born!
January In One Word
BABY!! 
5 Things That Happened In January:

1. My niece was born — Genevieve Grace. I am in LOVE.
2. Will and I celebrated 5 years together.
3. I found an amazing Thai place in my area! HUZZAH!
4. We met with and booked our photographer for the wedding!
5. I spent WAY too much on makeup from Sephora. More than I’ve spent on books in the past 2 months combined. BAD JAMIE IS BADDDD.

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. Someone Like You – Adele
2. Skinny Love – Bon Iver — I’ve always been obsessed with this song but I’ve become RE-OBSESSED with it recently..probably after hearing this amazing cover of Flume/Skinny Love.
3. Love Love Love – Of Monsters & Men (Little Talks is up there too!)
4. Rivers and Roads — The Head and the Heart
5. Paradise — Coldplay

Top 2 Books I Read This Month:

1. Paper Towns by John Green
2. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner

Most Popular Review This Month

Most Popular Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. Ways To Challenge Your Bookish Self
2. Look How Pinteresting (2)
3. One Of The Most Terrifying Things In My Bookish Life

3 New Obsessions In January
1. Emerald Cocoa Roast Almonds (Dark Chocolate) — THESE ARE AMAZING.
2. Tea — I’ve become a tea drinker in 2012. Any suggestions are welcome as I’m a tea newb!
3. Urban Decay Lid Primer (umm and Amazing concealer, Lorac lipstick in Babydoll and Fresh Soy cleanser…I cheated.) 

2 Things I’m Looking Forward To In February 

1. The Breathless Reads Tour and meeting Lauren DeStefano!
2. Working on our wedding invites!
What sort of things were noteworthy for you in January? New obsessions? Best books you read this month? Tell me! :)

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Monthly Rewind – October 2011

November 1, 2011 by · 8 Comments

I know lots of people do these sorts of things and well I’ve been feeling like I want a nice little monthly wrap up post because those sorts of things are fun to me. So..huzzah..here’s October in a glance:

Image From October:

Lots of fun with the love  of my life this month – LOTS of wedding planning!
October In A Word:

Busy

5 Things That Happened In October:

1. I turned 26!!! Will made me dinner and it was amazing!
2. I went shopping for a wedding dress (and MAYBE sorta found THE ONE…still deciding!)
3. I watched the first two seasons of The Vampire Diaries and LOVED it.
4. I went to see Lauren Oliver at Children’s Book World in Haverford, PA! SO FUN!
5. I bought my own domain (FINALLY…geez) and got a Facebook page for this blog…you know…after almost a year and a half! Go like me!

5 Songs That Were Most Popular On My Ipod This Month:

1. Little Talks by Monsters of Men
2. Meant by Elizaveta
3. Static Waves by Andrew Belle ft. Katie Herzig
4. Spoon – Paper Tigers
5. If I Die Young by The Band Perry

Top 3 Books I Read This Month:

1. Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
2. You Are My Only by Beth Kephart
3. Virtuosity by Jessi Martinez

Most Popular Review This Month:

Most Popular Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. Getting Blog Followers Vs. Getting Blog Readers
2. Top Ten Books I Read Because Of The Cover Or Title
3. My Fictional Wedding – Why fictional characters seem like a better option

Other Noteworthy Things About October

1. It SNOWED. What the crap? It snowed in October. BIZARRE.
2. I announced a laid back Re-Readathon I’m doing if others feel like joining.
3. I announced that the End of Year Book Survey WILL be back this year.

So this was fun. I think I shall do these at the end of every month. Love looking back at my month to see what all I have accomplished.

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