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The Perpetual Page-Turner

The Perpetual Page-Turner

Book Recommendations and Book Lists For Adults And Kids

Home | Monthly Rewind | Holy Crazy Month! (May 2014 Rewind)

Holy Crazy Month! (May 2014 Rewind)

June 4, 2014 - Updated May 7, 2019 // 19 Comments

Image From This Month

Gayle Forman BEAI had a bajillion BEA pics but obviously Gayle Forman had to be the ONE. She said, “let’s take a selfie.” SO I DID.

MAY In One Word

AMAZING
Warm weather, BEA, etc.

 

5 Things About My Life In May:

1. I went to the Book Expo of America!! My recap will be coming but Year #4 was excellent. So many great friends to see again and so many lovelies to meet for the first time. SO MUCH FUN. Great conversations and picked up some good books!

2. I got to be part of a phone interview with John Green about the TFIOS movie — and, as per usual for me, I made a fool out of myself.

3. I went to the beach for the first time in 2014 AND my pool at my apartment is OPEN: SUMMER TIME. YES.

4. Will & I went to a Death Cab For Cutie show — it’s been since my sophomore year in college (2005) since I’ve seen them. It was AWESOME. The band that opened was…errrm interesting.

5. I went back to being a redhead! I was a redhead (of various shades) all throughout high school and college and then a year or two before the wedding I went brown so I could be a little natural for my wedding but now I’m BACK.

 

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 ! I also have a May playlist filled with other AWESOME songs that wouldn’t fit on here.

 

 

1. Lanterns by Birds of Tokyo

2. Sounds of Screams by Thumpers

3. Waves by Sleeper Agent

4. Drive (Los Angeles) by Lolawolf

5. Lemons by Woodlock

6. Make This Leap by The Hunts

Honorable Mentions: Sing by Ed Sheeren (I hated it the first time I heard it but second time it was magic), Was There Nothing by Asgeir, Down by the River by Milky Chance, Sons & Daughters by Allman Brown & Liz Lawrence

 

Follow my MAY playlist

 

 

Top 3 Books I Read This Month:

 

1. The Fault In Our Stars by John Green (I didn’t write a review really but I talked about overcoming fear & hype)
2. Falling Into Place by Amy Zhang
3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (look at ME reading fantasy! Review to come!)

Most Popular Review This Month

To All The Boys I've Loved Before by jenny Han

Loved To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before! Also, put this on my beach reads recommendation post. This also debuted my new-ish Book Talk style (for when I want to follow a format…and when I don’t I won’t.)

 

 

Most Popular 5 Blog Posts Overall This Month

1. Ten Bookish Things My Husband is Sick of Hearing Me Say— This post was so fun to do for Will and I and it made us LOL a lot to read your responses! Will felt a little less alone for sure!
2. My beach reads recommendation post— Shared what books will be in MY beach bag & some recs!
3. My John Green interview : I swear I read all your comments in between lines and on subways during BEA!
4. 3 Reasons I Get Scared To Borrow Your Books: Talking about the pressures that come with borrowing books!
5. My Reading Life + Social Media Influences on It : Social media has changed my reading life for the best but sometimes there are drawbacks!

What I’ve Been Up To On The Youtubes This Month:

Epic Book  Haul
My Latest 3 Reads
Date With My Bookshelf #2

 

3 New Obsessions In May

1. Crack pie at Momofuku Milk Bar — So I put that I wanted to go to Momofuko Milk Bar on my NYC bucket list post and I got a group of bloggers who wanted to come with during BEA! OMG THE CRACK PIE. I can’t even explain.
2. The Blueberry Vanilla Kind Bars. My all time favorite are the pumpkin maple ones but THEY WERE OUT so I had to get different ones and I kind of love them!!
3. The new season of 24: Listen, back in college I was more than obsessed with Jack Bauer and his ass kicking ways. So many good memories binge watching on snow days until we caught up and then weekly 24 dates with my group of friends. So I’m SO HAPPY for this new season after all these years.

 

3 Things I’m Looking Forward To In June

1. MY SISTER’S WEDDING!!!! I cannot believe my little (2-ish years younger) sister is getting married (Genevieve & Adela’s mom). I’m the MOH and I need to come up with the best speech ever without crying. We’ve been through a lot together and yeah…she couldn’t hold it together
2. POOL DAYS!!
3. TFIOS movie!! I am going to bawl my eyes out (like everybody else).

Favorite Quote From A Book I Read In May

Can I just pick the entirety of The Fault In Our Stars?? SIGH I guess I’ll pick one from it then:

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”


5 Posts I Starred In My Reader That You Should Check Out

1. How To Live A Life You’re Proud Of: “That will be the thing I regret most too, and the moments when I was generous, when I embodied kindness, will be the moments I am most proud of. String enough of them together, and I will have lived a life I’m proud of.”

2. It’s All Been Said Before — But It Hasn’t Been Said By YOU: Sometimes I’ve felt that nagging feeling in my 4 years of blogging of “why bother…it’s all been said before.” This was a good reminder! “Don’t let the fear of being another voice in an over-saturated blogosphere hold you back from starting something amazing.”

3. What Defining Success On Your Own Terms Really Means: I started to tear up reading this because I’ve been feeling so down on myself and how not successful I am in all the ways I thought I would be successful in years ago. (Read: being in a career I loved).  Great reminder and food for thought for me!

4. Life Advice From Famous, Painfully Awesome Women : Loved this!

5. Art Appreciation: Loved this post from Anna so hard about books and appreciating the art. It was beautiful and I SO have had that moment too where I’m just overcome by it all. “Every so often, though, a book comes along that halts me in my tracks…..And I think to myself, “Oh, so this is art.”  One of my favorite posts I read all month!

 

 

Pick a category (or 5… or all of them) and tell me what went on in YOUR life in May!! What sort of things were noteworthy for you in May? New obsessions? Any new song recs?? Best books you read this month? Great posts I missed on your blog?

 

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Filed Under: Monthly Rewind Tagged With: book recommendations, Monthly Rewind, music recommendations

About Jamie

Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

Previous Post: « What Will Be In MY Beach Bag This Year + A Few Recs For YOURS!
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  1. Jen says

    June 4, 2014 at 12:35 am

    Hey hey Jamie! Looks like you had a FABULOUUUS May! I didn’t get to attend BEA but I definitely lived vicariously through your pictures/tweets. I had really warm weather too, it was so awesome! Momofuku seems like a FANTASTIC little restaurant/cafe, I’m so jealous you got to go in New York! And YAYYY for finally reading The Fault in Our Stars, and even more exciting that you got to interview the main himself!! The best book I read in May was either Open Road Summer or Falling Into Place 🙂 NEW OBSESSION: Almond milk!! Hahaha, lovely post as always, Jamie! <3

    Reply
  2. Emmah says

    June 4, 2014 at 1:32 am

    I was the exact same way with “Sing” by: Ed Sheeran! I didn’t like it at all the first time I heard it, but I love it now! But I’m all about his new song “Tenerife Sea” dsfkajfkdj. I’ve got concerts tickets to see him live in September!
    And you should check out Lucy Hale’s new album called “Road Between”! It came out yesterday (:

    A thing I’m sort of looking forward to in June is my birthday on the 25th! I’ll be turning 22.

    Reply
  3. Ebony @ Paperbacks & Protagonists says

    June 4, 2014 at 5:03 am

    Sounds like you had a fantastic month, Jamie! I can’t wait to see your recap of BEA! Oh, and that selfie with Gayle Forman *flails*. The thing I’m most looking forward to in June is meeting some online bookish friends for the first time. 🙂

    Reply
  4. April Books & Wine says

    June 4, 2014 at 6:58 am

    Haha, that selfie with Gayle!

    It was a good May for the most part. 🙂 I think my best May book was The Art Of Lainey, it was just what the doctor ordered.

    I know zero of those songs, except Lantern. I’ve heard that one on XM. As for my music, I listened to Barefoot Blue Jean Night by Jake Owens, Rather Be by Clean Bandit, Fancy by Iggy Izalea, and Things We Lost In The Fire by Bastille. My tastes run pretty mainstream ha ha.

    Reply
  5. Ginger @ GReads! says

    June 4, 2014 at 8:46 am

    Birds of Tokyo! Hey-yo! They are going on tour with Kodaline this Fall. Hoping to catch a show 🙂 Also, LOVE that pic of you and Gayle!!

    Reply
  6. Tiff @ Mostly YA Lit says

    June 4, 2014 at 10:47 am

    I need to listen to all of these songs! I feel like I’ve been in a major music black hole for awhile, I haven’t heard of any of these bands.

    I knew your 10 things post was going to be the most popular this month – it was SO hilarious, and SO shareable. Evan and I had a good laugh over it.

    It was so amazing to meet you in person at BEA! I wanted to say…I felt like a total idiot when I basically accosted Gayle at BEA right after her panel – I totally lost professionalism, and I felt like I became that cringeworthy blogger everyone hates (I’m pretty sure I did). I was honestly SO glad that she ran up to you to take the selfie (the mutual admiration was SO adorable, and I was so privileged to witness it), and I was like, “I hope she forgets who I am because of the awesome of Jamie.” All this to say…please don’t judge me on that episode and I hope we’re still friends?

    Reply
  7. alice-jane says

    June 4, 2014 at 11:41 am

    Looks like you had a wonderful May! So very sad I missed you at BEA but maybe next year? 🙂 I’ve been meaning to go to Momofuku Milk Bar for the longest time but still haven’t been. Great to hear that you like their crack pie, though!

    Thanks for sharing the posts that you’ve starred in your reader because I’m loving all the posts. I needed them.

    Reply
  8. Leigh says

    June 4, 2014 at 12:24 pm

    Wow! May was a very good month for you. 🙂 So happy that you enjoyed your stay at BEA AND that you got to interview John Green! That’s beyond cool. May was a very busy month for me since it was the last month of my senior year. I had 3 days of finals right before graduation. I also had my prom and grad nite which was soooo much fun!

    Reply
  9. Mel@thedailyprophecy says

    June 4, 2014 at 2:57 pm

    I can’t wait to read your BEA recap 🙂 I love reading those. Makes me feel a little like I was there too, haha. I hope you have a great time at your sisters wedding!! I look forward to the TFIOS movie, even when it’s going to be heart-breaking. 5 things that happened in May were, donating my hair for children’s wigs, celebrated me & my sisters birthday (mine is in April though), had a photoshoot with parents and their friends for their 25-year-marriage, had my wisdom tooth removed and I had an interview for one of the two internships (GOT IT :D) So yeah, very good month for me too!

    And the photograph of you and Forman is awesome!

    Reply
  10. Harman says

    June 4, 2014 at 6:30 pm

    I love your way of doing wrap up posts! You are so lucky you got to go to BEA! I’m only 16 so I still have 2 more years til I’m allowed to go. Can’t wait for your recap post! 🙂

    Reply
  11. Tiffany (AboutToRead) says

    June 5, 2014 at 8:42 pm

    It was nice meeting you at BEA!

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      June 9, 2014 at 1:14 pm

      You too!!!

      Reply
  12. Kayla @ The Thousand Lives says

    June 5, 2014 at 9:46 pm

    Just had to stop by and let you know that it was due to your review of To All the Boys that I went out and bought it! And now it’s one of my favorite I’ve read so far this year 😀

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      June 9, 2014 at 1:14 pm

      This makes me so unbelievably happy!!!

      Reply
  13. Lisa is Busy Nerding says

    June 5, 2014 at 11:13 pm

    I just want to listen to all the music you listen to always.

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      June 9, 2014 at 1:14 pm

      *shares earbud*

      Reply
  14. Jessica Lawlor says

    June 6, 2014 at 7:27 am

    Thanks for including me, as always! Can’t wait to hear your thoughts on TFIOS movie!

    Reply
  15. Alexa S. says

    June 8, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    If there’s one thing I love about these posts of yours, Jamie, it’s the new music you introduce me to! I have found a new obsession with Birds of Tokyo after listening to this song 😉

    Reply
    • Jamie says

      June 9, 2014 at 1:08 pm

      So good right?! And I’m happy to hear that bc sometimes I can’t tell if people like to know what I’m listening to or not haha

      Reply

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Friends don’t let friends be without a good book. Let’s be friends?
Elder millennial. Cries a lot, always down a rabbit hole.
Blogger since 2010👇

A book recommendation for all my historical fictio A book recommendation for all my historical fiction readers - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. My holy grail historical author came through for me again. I can’t express how much I cared for and was pulled into the lives of these women living in a boardinghouse in DC during the McCarthy era just as much as I was racing to find out what happened in this house. The tension mounted as we got to what actually happened?? Masterful. Truly. #historicalfiction #bookrec #bookrecommendation #historicalfictionbooks @williammorrowbooks
Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Day and hit up new faves @maveybooks and what used to be my second home when I lived closer @childrensbookworld which was so nice to be back home 🥹🥹

Book shopping is great but I can’t express how incredible building community is and indie bookshops do just that. I always wanted my own version of Cheers and, while not a bar where everybody knows my name, CBW was that place for me for almost a decade when I built community by going to YA book events there and moderating events. And while I am not able to get there as often as I was before I became a mom and we moved further away, It’s been so special to be able to share this beloved space with Riley.

These indie bookshops are so vital to our communities and I know everyone’s situation is different so this isn’t to shame but That Website can’t replace what can be created in these book spaces. Shop local when you are able! #indiebookshop #bookshop #bookshopping #independentbookstore
Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technic Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technically ATMOSPHERE but I feel like between my stories and my dedicated post to it, I’d rather talk about the book I read before it but didn’t update y’all on.

The Trouble With Anna — I enjoyed this delightful little historical romance about a heroine who is carving out her independence only to find out, when her grandfather dies, that he tied her inheritance/future to marrying her best friend’s brother — a not-so-happy surprise for both of them. I could understand why they both had some guardness/walls up and I enjoyed watching them slowly start to lower them.

Mayhem and the Mortal - I’m not too far into this romantic fantasy but it is one of my most anticipated that came out last month and I’m excited to dig in more.

Hamnet — I know, I know. For April I decided not to make a traditional TBR list of books I wanted to read but instead give myself some prompts to guide my reading (bc I’m overwhelmed with all my choices at hand) without feeling rigid. One of the prompts was to read a book I HAD TO BUY but is still unread. So going to finally get to it. Have you read this one or watched the movie?

What are you currently reading?
I had been waiting for the perfect time to read th I had been waiting for the perfect time to read this one after Random House sent me a finished copy as TJR is a longtime auto-buy author.  I found myself caught up in all the space joy and wonder and feeling quite parasocial about the Artemis crew...I decided now was the time.

I had no idea what I was getting into.

I hadn’t really known what it was about but I didn’t really need to given its TJR & the fact it was 1980s NASA & astronauts.

But this book was about love to me - romantic love, platonic love, familial love, love for something bigger than yourself, love for the person you are & are becoming, love in the face of obstacles, love for what lights you up.

Having been invested in real life astronauts & their journey lately really made this book even more vivid to me — seeing the bonds of the crew so deeply, feeling the fragility that exists while they are doing this wondrous & crazy thing that often still boggles my mind that we can do.

And, hardest to put into words, that feeling of awe in the expansive nature & capabilities of love & the universe that I felt when a husband named a crater after his late wife which doubly helped me understand how Joan & Vanessa felt looking back at earth.

It made me sob & feel everything about being a human so deeply basically from that Frances/Joan phone call at 86% of the way through until the final words. Like could not breathe.

*might be a tiny bit spoilery so beware:

I think the way she wrote this was so impactful bc we start out knowing something bad happens &it’s not even that far when we know that some of them def won’t make it back & some are alive in peril.

I was like “oof” when *it* happens early on. But each and every chapter where we learn more about these ppl & their relationships felt agonizing & I was retroactively grieving for them more deeply every turn of the page.

The hurt and grief just compounds from a moment that was sad from the jump to something that had dug in deep to me.

To know what happens right before this mission makes the mission control bits even more excruciating. Makes the peril a character is in hit even harder than just “oh that must be scary!”. 

I loved it. I needed it bad.
The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being m The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being my reading whims, quirks and troubles.

Interesting things:

1. January started out rough. I only read 1 physical book and leaned very heavy into audiobooks only. At first it was distressing that my brain -thanks to current events and their effect on my mind - couldn’t work out how to sit down and read with my eyeballs but I was like…let’s just roll with it and wait for it to pass. So I waited and enjoyed a ton of audiobooks.

2. I don’t think I’ve ever read so many thrillers and mysteries in a quarter. It’s a genre I love but I’m normally quite more balanced. However, it’s what I was craving and what my brain was tolerating so…I just went with it.

3. I have always been a reader led by my moods (both how I feel reading wise and personally). This quarter was FERAL. Like the most feral mood reading ever. I couldn’t even categorize it. I’d decide on one book enthusiastically and suddenly I was like…absolutely not that.

4. I read way less fantasy than normal which was WEIRD but I felt like I also wasn’t surprised given my brain space.

5. I really started to resent people even more who said “it’s a book account stop talking about politics etc”. Babe, I’m a human who gives a shit but ALSO this has and always been an account of MY reading life. And my reading life was profoundly affected by the things that were going on in this country. Like they have been before - whether it’s been current events or things like having a kid, being depressed, slumps, etc.

6. I return to the fact that, for me, I am happiest when I pay attention to my reading whims. The end of the month I had a very specific reading mood (wanted time travel element but not a heavy time travel book) and I decided to pick up A Rip Through Time at the end of the month and I’m now halfway through book 4. Having the best time ever!!! 

Anyways, tell me how your reading life was in Q1! Fave books? Biggest surprises??
New historical fiction books on my radar for April New historical fiction books on my radar for April and I feel like there is quite a bit of variety. Any of these on your TBR? #historicalfictionbooks #historicalfiction #newbookrelease #newbookreleases
Being someone who reads based on their ever shifti Being someone who reads based on their ever shifting reading moods (sometimes very feral) makes library holds and tbrs very hard. It’s the worst when 5 weeks ago I would have gobbled the library hold up but now when the hold comes in I’m like…I think not. #readersofinstagram #readerproblems #librarylife #librarybooks #moodreader
I love when I just absolutely nail it on the first I love when I just absolutely nail it on the first try when trying to satisfy a super specific reading mood - Kelley Armstrong’s A Rip Through Time definitely nailed what I wanted. Time travel but didn’t really want too time travely…just more of a vibe or catalyst for some fun. If you love a good mystery, some time travel shenanigans and a great cast of characters, I highly recommend this book. #bookrec #bookrecommendation #bookreview #mysterybooks #historicalmystery #kelleyarmstrong
🌸 Some romances on my personal radar for April. 🌸 🌸 Some romances on my personal radar for April. 🌸

Beyond excited for a new Kate Clayborn, Kasie west, rainbow Rowell, Jenn Bennett and Beth O’Leary - I’ve enjoyed these authors in the past.

My historical loving heart is most excited for The Duke and How To Fake It In Society.

I love an emotional romance so The Art of Loving You is high on my list plus I’ve heard great things about this author.

I’m intrigued by Fast Lane especially since it’s being adapted for a tv series. I’m seeing comparisons to Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series which I did love!

Which new romance books are piquing your interest or are on your TBR? #romancebooks #newbooks #romancebooktok #romancereader
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Jamie is a 32 year old married lady (with a new baby!!) who is in denial that she's actually that old to be a married lady and a mom. When she's not reading you can find her doing Pilates followed by eating ice cream, belting out Hamilton (loud and offkey) and having adventures with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.

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A book recommendation for all my historical fictio A book recommendation for all my historical fiction readers - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. My holy grail historical author came through for me again. I can’t express how much I cared for and was pulled into the lives of these women living in a boardinghouse in DC during the McCarthy era just as much as I was racing to find out what happened in this house. The tension mounted as we got to what actually happened?? Masterful. Truly. #historicalfiction #bookrec #bookrecommendation #historicalfictionbooks @williammorrowbooks
Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Made a fun family day out of Independent Bookstore Day and hit up new faves @maveybooks and what used to be my second home when I lived closer @childrensbookworld which was so nice to be back home 🥹🥹

Book shopping is great but I can’t express how incredible building community is and indie bookshops do just that. I always wanted my own version of Cheers and, while not a bar where everybody knows my name, CBW was that place for me for almost a decade when I built community by going to YA book events there and moderating events. And while I am not able to get there as often as I was before I became a mom and we moved further away, It’s been so special to be able to share this beloved space with Riley.

These indie bookshops are so vital to our communities and I know everyone’s situation is different so this isn’t to shame but That Website can’t replace what can be created in these book spaces. Shop local when you are able! #indiebookshop #bookshop #bookshopping #independentbookstore
Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technic Ok technically I’m lying. My last read was technically ATMOSPHERE but I feel like between my stories and my dedicated post to it, I’d rather talk about the book I read before it but didn’t update y’all on.

The Trouble With Anna — I enjoyed this delightful little historical romance about a heroine who is carving out her independence only to find out, when her grandfather dies, that he tied her inheritance/future to marrying her best friend’s brother — a not-so-happy surprise for both of them. I could understand why they both had some guardness/walls up and I enjoyed watching them slowly start to lower them.

Mayhem and the Mortal - I’m not too far into this romantic fantasy but it is one of my most anticipated that came out last month and I’m excited to dig in more.

Hamnet — I know, I know. For April I decided not to make a traditional TBR list of books I wanted to read but instead give myself some prompts to guide my reading (bc I’m overwhelmed with all my choices at hand) without feeling rigid. One of the prompts was to read a book I HAD TO BUY but is still unread. So going to finally get to it. Have you read this one or watched the movie?

What are you currently reading?
I had been waiting for the perfect time to read th I had been waiting for the perfect time to read this one after Random House sent me a finished copy as TJR is a longtime auto-buy author.  I found myself caught up in all the space joy and wonder and feeling quite parasocial about the Artemis crew...I decided now was the time.

I had no idea what I was getting into.

I hadn’t really known what it was about but I didn’t really need to given its TJR & the fact it was 1980s NASA & astronauts.

But this book was about love to me - romantic love, platonic love, familial love, love for something bigger than yourself, love for the person you are & are becoming, love in the face of obstacles, love for what lights you up.

Having been invested in real life astronauts & their journey lately really made this book even more vivid to me — seeing the bonds of the crew so deeply, feeling the fragility that exists while they are doing this wondrous & crazy thing that often still boggles my mind that we can do.

And, hardest to put into words, that feeling of awe in the expansive nature & capabilities of love & the universe that I felt when a husband named a crater after his late wife which doubly helped me understand how Joan & Vanessa felt looking back at earth.

It made me sob & feel everything about being a human so deeply basically from that Frances/Joan phone call at 86% of the way through until the final words. Like could not breathe.

*might be a tiny bit spoilery so beware:

I think the way she wrote this was so impactful bc we start out knowing something bad happens &it’s not even that far when we know that some of them def won’t make it back & some are alive in peril.

I was like “oof” when *it* happens early on. But each and every chapter where we learn more about these ppl & their relationships felt agonizing & I was retroactively grieving for them more deeply every turn of the page.

The hurt and grief just compounds from a moment that was sad from the jump to something that had dug in deep to me.

To know what happens right before this mission makes the mission control bits even more excruciating. Makes the peril a character is in hit even harder than just “oh that must be scary!”. 

I loved it. I needed it bad.
The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being m The theme of Q1 was “just go with it” — it being my reading whims, quirks and troubles.

Interesting things:

1. January started out rough. I only read 1 physical book and leaned very heavy into audiobooks only. At first it was distressing that my brain -thanks to current events and their effect on my mind - couldn’t work out how to sit down and read with my eyeballs but I was like…let’s just roll with it and wait for it to pass. So I waited and enjoyed a ton of audiobooks.

2. I don’t think I’ve ever read so many thrillers and mysteries in a quarter. It’s a genre I love but I’m normally quite more balanced. However, it’s what I was craving and what my brain was tolerating so…I just went with it.

3. I have always been a reader led by my moods (both how I feel reading wise and personally). This quarter was FERAL. Like the most feral mood reading ever. I couldn’t even categorize it. I’d decide on one book enthusiastically and suddenly I was like…absolutely not that.

4. I read way less fantasy than normal which was WEIRD but I felt like I also wasn’t surprised given my brain space.

5. I really started to resent people even more who said “it’s a book account stop talking about politics etc”. Babe, I’m a human who gives a shit but ALSO this has and always been an account of MY reading life. And my reading life was profoundly affected by the things that were going on in this country. Like they have been before - whether it’s been current events or things like having a kid, being depressed, slumps, etc.

6. I return to the fact that, for me, I am happiest when I pay attention to my reading whims. The end of the month I had a very specific reading mood (wanted time travel element but not a heavy time travel book) and I decided to pick up A Rip Through Time at the end of the month and I’m now halfway through book 4. Having the best time ever!!! 

Anyways, tell me how your reading life was in Q1! Fave books? Biggest surprises??
New historical fiction books on my radar for April New historical fiction books on my radar for April and I feel like there is quite a bit of variety. Any of these on your TBR? #historicalfictionbooks #historicalfiction #newbookrelease #newbookreleases
Being someone who reads based on their ever shifti Being someone who reads based on their ever shifting reading moods (sometimes very feral) makes library holds and tbrs very hard. It’s the worst when 5 weeks ago I would have gobbled the library hold up but now when the hold comes in I’m like…I think not. #readersofinstagram #readerproblems #librarylife #librarybooks #moodreader

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