Self-Isolation Chronicles: Entertainment Edition

It’s week 7 of self-isolation here in the Landry household, and I’ve never been more grateful for the fact I’m not easily bored. From the time I was a child, I was able to entertain myself, and I spent a lot of time on my own, reading, playing with my dolls, making up elaborate make-believe games, playing outside. I’ll admit there have been times lately when I’ve felt restless, especially as the weather gets nicer, but I’m trying to find as many things as possible to keep me entertained and keep my mind busy. I’m particularly drawn to light, funny things these days, as you’ll soon see.

I’ve read 12 books since isolation began. Like many people, I had a lot of trouble concentrating at first; I was in a constant state of near-panic for the first week or so, and I pretty much lived on Twitter. Thankfully that compulsion passed fairly quickly, and I was able to use reading as the escape it’s always been for me. Out of the dozen books I’ve read in the last month and a half, seven of them stand out and have been added to my Recommend These Often and Loudly list:

♥Undercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
♥The Friend Zone and The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jiminez
♥Don’t Go Stealing My Heart by Kelly Siskind
♥The Life and (Medieval) Times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton
♥Love Lettering by Kate Clayborn
♥The Little Bookshop of Love Stories by Jaimie Admans

Other than reading, I’ve also been watching a variety of TV shows and movies. I’ve never been good at marathon-watching shows; some people can watch an entire series in a weekend, but it usually takes me a few weeks. I’ve been watching a bit more TV than usual, but not that much more. My favourites have been:

♥Schitt’s Creek. I started this hilarious, ridiculous, very Canadian show around the time isolation began, and it was a lifesaver those first two weeks. I keep saying I must have been living under a rock because I don’t remember really even hearing about this show before late last year. At least this way I was able to watch all the seasons at once. I still have a few episodes of the final season left; I’m hoarding them because I’m not ready to say goodbye to the Roses! 

♥Elementary. I started this Sherlock-inspired show a couple of years ago when I first got Amazon Prime, and I watched all the seasons that were available at the time. The rest of the seasons are finally up now, so I figured this was a good time to finish the series. I know several people who won’t give this show a chance because they’re die-hard fans of BBC’s Sherlock (which I love too), but the two are completely different interpretations of the classic Arthur Conan Doyle tales, and both are incredible in their own rights. It took some convincing, but I got my best friend to give the show a chance and she loves it now too.

♥Charmed (the new version). I was baffled when this show was first announced because all the other reboots have starred some or all of the original cast, but this remake was a whole new show with the same concept as the original Charmed (which I loved back in the day but never finished because I stopped getting the channel it was on). I was curious about the remake, especially because of the diverse cast, and it didn’t take me long to become hooked. I let almost an entire season pile up on my DVR, so I’ve been watching them here and there and I really do love this show and think it’s so well done. 

♥Movies: My obsession with Oscar Isaac has put me on a mission to watch all of his movies, and in the last few weeks I’ve watched Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, W.E., Won’t Back Down, and The Two Faces of January. I’ve also satisfied my romcom-loving heart with My Best Friend’s Wedding (I don’t know how I hadn’t seen this before, especially since Julia Roberts is my favourite actress) and Love Wedding Repeat (which was kind of terrible but made me LOL and kept me distracted, so we’ll call it a weird sort of win).

Besides books and TV, my other favourite source of entertainment is bookstagram. I haven't been writing (that's a whole other guilt-ridden blog post on its own *sigh*), so bookstagram has been my creative outlet. Not only do I get to style and take pictures, but I also get to spend hours talking with fellow book lovers, and not just about books. It's been my favourite place online for a few years now, and it continues to be a refuge during these difficult times.

How have you been keeping busy during isolation? Have you read anything amazing? Watched anything worth sharing? Picked up a new hobby or become more passionate about a favourite creative endeavor?

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*Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate, and some of the links in this review are affiliate links. All income made through affiliate sales goes directly back into maintaining Ramblings of a Daydreamer. Thank you for your support!  

Don't Go Stealing My Heart by Kelly Siskind: Prepare to Fall in Love With This Charming Story

Don't Go Stealing My Heart by Kelly Siskind
Published: April 22nd, 2020
Publisher: CD Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
# of pages: 333
My rating: 5 stars
Acquired this book: From the author in exchange for honest consideration
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Buy now: Amazon Canada || Amazon US || Indigo

She wants to steal his Van Gogh. He wants to steal her heart.

Some people would call Clementine Abernathy a criminal. She considers herself a modern day Robin Hood, who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Not exactly on the up-and-up, but she knows what it’s like to lose everything. Her latest heist involves swiping a priceless Van Gogh from its owner, who’s supposed to be an egotistical trust-fund brat.

Turns out Jack David is a sexy, kind-hearted man…and Clementine is in trouble. Falling for her mark would make her the World’s Dumbest Conwoman, but Jack is charmingly persistent, always singing sweet songs in her ear.

And that earth-shattering kiss? She never stood a chance.

Now she’s imagining a fresh start with this dashing man, but that means telling Jack about her past. And other nefarious sorts are after the same painting. Too soon, Clementine learns what it means to risk it all for love.

Okay, I’m calling it: Kelly Siskind is officially one of my new favourite authors. I read New Orleans Rush earlier this year and fell completely in love with the characters and Kelly’s writing. Between that and the fact I’m a fan of both Van Gogh and Elvis, I was excited about Don’t Go Stealing My Heart.

There’s so much to love about this book, starting with the two main characters: Clementine, the Robin Hood-esque thief who steals from the rich to help the poor, and Jack, the Elvis tribute artist who loves his small town, its people, and most of all his family, and will do whatever he can to help people. These two are so layered; I loved how bits and pieces of their lives and personalities were revealed with perfect timing, making it was impossible not to feel for them, relate to them, and root for them. They had instant chemistry and their interactions had me grinning, squeeing, and swooning. The side characters were great too, and I loved the small town, close-knit feel of the setting. Whichway was ridiculously charming - it’s the type of place I’d love to live in, or at least visit. I'd be so down to attend that Elvis festival every year!

Full of witty banter and well-developed characters, this engaging, fun, and sexy story will make you laugh, pull at your heartstrings, and have you falling in love. The ending is a thrill ride that had me completely enthralled as I zoomed through the pages. I know I’ll be recommending this book as often as I recommend New Orleans Rush (which is A LOT), and I can’t wait to see what Kelly Siskind comes up with next.

Have you read Don't Go Stealing My Heart? What did you think? Have you read anything lately that left you completely charmed?

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*Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate, and some of the links in this review are affiliate links. All income made through affiliate sales goes directly back into maintaining Ramblings of a Daydreamer. Thank you for your support!  

16+ Contemporary Books to Satisfy Your Wanderlust When You Can't Leave Home

We may all be unable to travel right now because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but part of the beauty of books is being able to travel vicariously anywhere in the world without having to leave the comfort (and, currently, the safety) of your home. Books have always been an escape for many, but they provide a much-needed respite now more than ever. I've been self-isolating for five weeks now and, like many other readers, I've been gravitating toward lighter books. Bonus points if they're funny, and extra bonus points if they have a setting that allows me to indulge in a little armchair travel.

My original list for this post had approximately 40 books on it, but I kept culling to keep it manageable. I decided to go with the books that really immerse you in the setting; I love stories where the setting is so vivid and vibrant you feel like you're right there. Each book has a link to Goodreads, Amazon (please note, it is an affiliate link - all earnings go into the upkeep of this blog, and I truly appreciate your support), and Indigo, but if you have a local indie bookshop you can support, please be sure to do so!

Now, grab your literary passport and escape to beautiful, far-flung destinations with these 16+ contemporary books.

♥Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins Setting: Paris Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance Published: December 2nd, 2010 by Dutton Juvenile Why you should read it: Anna is your average American teenager who gets sent to Paris for school and has her horizons broadened in more ways than she ever imagined. This is one of my top five all-time favourite books, and Anna and Etienne are one of my top OTPs. This book has everything I love in Young Adult (or any book for that matter): humour, romance, character growth, travel. Read this book for all the swoons, giggles, and squees.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae Setting: Italy Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance Published: May 6th, 2014 by Bloomsbury Why you should read it: Pippa travels to Italy for the summer to be part of an art program, but quickly realizes one of the benefits of solo traveling is she can do whatever she wants...which happens to be seeing more of Italy instead of sitting in classes all day. I went back to my review of this book from 2014 while writing this post and remembered just how fun and funny this book was and how I truly felt like I was right there in Italy with Pippa. The next year when I visited Rome myself, I thought of Pippa and was excited to see the same things she had seen for the first time. Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch Setting: Ireland Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance Published: May 8th, 2018 by Simon Pulse Why you should read it: I adore books set in Ireland. So many of the books set there seem to feature characters finding themselves, whether that’s their actual goal or not. I’ve always felt like there’s something magical about the Emerald Isle, and that special something is reflected in many stories, including Love & Luck. This book is funny and sweet, has one of my favourite sibling relationships ever, and it packs an unexpected emotional punch. Bonus: Love & Luck is part of a standalone series. The first book is Love & Gelato, which is set in Italy (and which you should definitely read; it was originally on this list before I started cutting books), and Jenna’s next book, Love & Olives (coming July 7th) is set in Greece. Is it just me or are there not nearly enough books set in Greece? Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo
♥The Conspiracy of Us by Maggie Hall
Setting: Paris, Istanbul Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Mystery/Thriller Published: January 13th, 2015 by Putnam Juvenile Why you should read it: When this series came out, it was advertised as ‘The DaVinci Code for teens’ which is what initially drew me in. This book grabs you and pulls you into a thrilling, action-packed world of intrigue, secret societies, and romance, all wrapped up in amazing, vivid European settings. Bonus: The Conspiracy of Us is the first in a trilogy; Map of Fates and The Ends of the World are the second and third books respectively, and the series gets even better as it goes on, plus you get even more incredible settings (like Greece and Egypt) with each new book. Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

 ♥A Brit Complicated by Brenda St John Brown
Setting: London
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Published: October 8th, 2017, self-published
Why you should read it: This book was written shortly after the 2017 terror attack in Borough Market in London, and it feels like a love letter to London and the resilience of the beautiful, diverse city. I loved that the city played such an important role in the story, plus this book has Brenda’s trademark wit, humour, and scorching-hot sexytimes.
Bonus: This is the third book in Brenda’s Castle Calder series of standalone books. The first two - A Brit on the Side and A Brit Unexpected - are set mostly in the English countryside at the fictional Castle Calder. Brenda’s debut novel, Swimming to Tokyo, is set in Japan and is a fascinating look at a place I knew very little about.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon

♥London Belongs to Me by Jacquelyn Middleton
Setting: London
Genre: Contemporary coming-of-age/women’s fiction
Published: October 14th, 2016 by Kirkwall Books
Why you should read it: This book takes the reader on an emotional journey with Alex Sinclair as she moves to London with dreams of becoming a playwright. Besides the great characters and setting, two big things that drew me into this book were the nerdy pop culture references and the mental health representation.
Bonus: This book has a follow-up called London, Can You Wait? which is set in London and New York City, and Jacquelyn’s other book, Until the Last Star Fades is set (mostly) in NYC. Jacquelyn has spent a lot of time in both London and NYC, so the locations in her books are real places with a lot of thought and care put into them, and that really shows.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥One Week 'Til Christmas by Belinda Missen
Setting: London
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: November 1st, 2019 by HQ Digital
Why you should read it: Visiting London at Christmastime has always been a dream of mine, and reading this book gave me that experience vicariously. The wintery streets of London really come alive on the pages, and I was completely enchanted. Plus the romance is super swoony! This is a quick, sweet read, and even though it's set at Christmastime, I'd say it's a fun one to read year-round.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Getting Hot With the Scot by Melonie Johnson
Setting: Edinburgh, London, Chicago
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 30th, 2019 by St. Martin’s Press
Why you should read it: This book starts in Edinburgh, Scotland, where we join a group of friends who have been traveling through Europe. Our heroine, Cassie (a fellow book lover!), has been on the hunt for a foreign fling with no success...until she meets hot Scot Logan Reid. We get a whirlwind trip through Edinburgh and London before heading to the US and Cassie’s hometown of Chicago. It’s so fun watching these two characters balance their careers, get over their commitment-phobia, and figure out how to build a life together.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Upside Down by Lia Riley
Setting: Australia
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Published: August 5th, 2014 by Forever
Why you should read it: Needing an escape from her current reality, Talia takes off for six months in Australia as an exchange student. Her plan is to leave her worries behind, but she quickly realizes she can't run away from her problems or her past. This book is an emotional rollercoaster ride; Talia and Bran remain one of my OTPs because they worked hard for their relationship and they overcame so many obstacles together. This book is really emotional, unbelievably sexy, and it gets major bonus points for realistic and compassionate grief and OCD representation.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo
Bonus: This is the first book in the Off the Map series - Sideswiped and Inside Out are next - and all the books are amazing.

♥London Belongs to Us by Sarra Manning
Setting: London
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance
Published: June 2nd, 2016 by Hot Key Books
Why you should read it: This book is a highly entertaining whirlwind ride through the streets of London. Taking place in the span of 12 hours, Sunny makes her way through the city on a mission, meeting a whole host of quirky characters along the way.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Wanderlost by Jen Malone
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Romance
Published: May 31st, 2016 by HarperTeen
Setting: All over Europe
Why you should read it: You know how in most travel-related novels the main character has a strong desire to travel and usually at least some sort of plan? That’s not the case with this book; Aubree would be happy never leaving home, but she gets roped into pretending to be her sister and taking her place as a tour guide for a group of seniors through Europe. Aubree’s one of those characters you’re not quite sure about in the beginning, but you can’t help rooting for her as she grows and learns a lot about herself and the world. This book is fun, funny, and sweet with great characters and beautiful settings.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Without Borders by Amanda Heger
Setting: Nicaragua
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Published: April 19th, 2016 by Diversion Publishing
Why you should read it: Annie needs something that will make her med school resume stand out, so she travels to Central America to join some old friends on a month-long medical brigade. Annie is pushed outside her comfort zone at every turn as she traverses the jungle and encounters extreme poverty and life-threatening situations alongside a group of volunteers and a hot Nicaraguan doctor who also happens to be her best friend’s brother. This book is funny, touching, and completely different from anything I’ve ever read.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥A Place in the Sun by RS Grey
Setting: Vernazza, Italy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 24th, 2016, self-published
Why you should read it: Needing to escape the relentless matchmaking of her mother, Georgie flees from London to Italy, where she meets gorgeous, brooding Gianluca. The romance in this book is an intense roller coaster ride, and the stunning, vivid setting made me long to see more of Italy. I don't think I'd ever even heard of Vernazza, but it went on my bucket list as soon as I finished reading this book.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon

♥The Forbidden Man by Karina Halle
Setting: Madrid, Spain
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: December 8th, 2019, self-published
Why you should read it: This is a super angsty, sexy, forbidden, age-gap, sports romance featuring a young football (soccer) player on the Real Madrid team and his much older physical therapist. I loved Thalia and Alejo, and it was interesting learning more about Spanish football and getting to see Madrid through Thalia’s eyes.
Bonus: Many of Karina’s books have gorgeous settings. Two of my other favourites are My Life in Shambles (set in Ireland) and Racing the Sun (set in Italy).
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon

♥Christmas at Frozen Falls by Kiley Dunbar
Setting: Lapland, Finland
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Published: September 4th, 2019 by Hera
Why you should read it: When Sylvie's fiance dumps her a week before their wedding, her best friend plans a spur of the moment trip to Finland to take her mind off her heartache. Sylvie is reunited with her gorgeous Finnish ex, who shows her the sights and also stirs up a whole lot of old feelings. I honestly knew next to nothing about Lapland, and I found it fascinating to learn about life there, discover some of their traditions and customs, and learn about the Sami people.
Bonus: Kiley’s new book, Summer at the Highland Coral Beach, is set in a gorgeous fictional village in Scotland called Port Willow Bay.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥Just One Day by Gayle Forman
Setting: Paris, the Netherlands, London
Genre: Contemporary New Adult
Published: January 8th, 2013 by Dutton Juvenile
Why you should read it: After one magical day with a stranger in Paris, Alysson returns to the confines of her real life back home in America. Depressed and lost, Alysson spends the next year breaking out of the shelter of her small, safe life and learning to live for herself instead of living to please others. I read this book seven years ago when it was one of the hottest books around; I clearly remember disliking Alysson in the beginning and not understanding the hype around this book. My feelings changed suddenly and drastically about halfway through, and this book ended up touching me deeply and becoming a favourite. The character growth was some of the best I’ve ever read, and while the romance is beautiful, the journey of self-love was truly a thing to behold.
Bonus: The follow-up to this book, Just One Year, takes place in Europe, Mexico, and India, and I love it even more than the first book.
Add to Goodreads || Buy: Amazon || Indigo

♥More Bonuses:
♥Maddy Hunter's Passport to Peril series. If cozy mysteries are your thing, I can't recommend Maddy's books enough. Each of these fun, hilarious books is set in a different country (or US State, as in the case of two books), and Maddy has the ability to make you feel like you’re really there touring the places with Emily and her quirky gang of seniors. The series consists of twelve books and, in order, the settings are: Switzerland, Ireland, Italy, Hawaii, Australia, Norway, the Netherlands, Scotland, France, Germany, England, and Alaska.
Find the books on Goodreads || Amazon || Indigo
♥And since it was so hard to whittle this list down, I thought I'd share my Goodreads lists featuring various settings. Feel free to peruse them and see if any other books take your fancy.

♥Australia   ♥England   ♥France   ♥Ireland   ♥London   ♥New York City   ♥Scotland   ♥General Wanderlust  

What is your favourite setting to read about? Do you have a favourite book that inspires wanderlust? Have you added any of the books from my list to your TBR?

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The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez: All the Giggles, Swoons, and Feels

The Happy Ever After Playlist by Abby Jimenez
Published: April 14th, 2020
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary romance
Tropes: Friends to lovers, rock star, celebrity crush
My rating: 5 stars
Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration
Add to Goodreads
Buy now: Amazon Canada || Amazon US || Indigo
*Read my review of The Friend Zone

Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can't seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a "take me home" look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker's owner reaches out. He's a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.

Well, Sloan's not about to give up her dog without a fight. But what if this Jason guy really loves Tucker? As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can't deny a connection. Jason is hot and nice and funny. There's no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?

We’re only a quarter of the way into the year, but my list of 2020 favourites is growing quickly, and it now includes both of Abby Jimenez’s books. I recently read The Friend Zone and, while I admit I had a few issues with it, I ultimately loved it and ended up giving it 4.5 stars. I was glad I’d waited so long to read it so I wouldn’t have to wait for The Happy Ever After Playlist.

Abby Jimenez has a knack for writing realistic, relatable characters and the swooniest men imaginable. I loved Kristen and Josh and, if possible, I love Sloan and Jason even more. Sloan had been lost in a fog of grief for two years, unable to move on after her fiance’s death. Then suddenly one day there was this crazy dog that literally fell into her lap and eventually led her to Jason. I loved Sloan and Jason’s interactions via text and phone calls - they made me grin like an idiot - and it was such a joy watching them get to know each other and start to fall for each other before even meeting. When they finally did meet, Sloan continued to emerge from her fog with Jason’s help. He was sweet, understanding, and patient, and I fell in love with him right alongside Sloan. I also loved the friendship between Sloan and Kristen; their relationship made me laugh and pulled at my heartstrings in The Friend Zone, and continued to do both in this book.

I do have to admit that, like with The Friend Zone, there were parts of The Happy Ever After Playlist that rubbed me the wrong way and at times made me downright annoyed. Much like Kristen made decisions for Josh based on what she thought was best, Jason did the same thing to Sloan - more than once. It's a testament to Jimenez's storytelling ability that I was able to look past those things and still be completely captivated. The story and the characters had me hooked and I was rooting for them so much that the things that annoyed me didn't affect my overall feelings toward the book.

The Happy Ever After Playlist is laugh-out-loud funny, sexy, and brings all the feels and all the swoons. There’s a wonderful balance of dark and light, and I loved that this story is ultimately about healing, rediscovering yourself, and falling back in love with life as you learn to fall in love with another person.

Have you read The Happy Ever After Playlist? What did you think? What was your last 5-star read?

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*Please note I'm an Amazon affiliate, and some of the links in this review are affiliate links. All income made through affiliate sales goes directly back into maintaining Ramblings of a Daydreamer. Thank you for your support!  

Self-Isolation Chronicles: Life After Four Weeks at Home

As of yesterday, I’ve officially been self-isolating for four weeks. I’ve left the house a total of two times - both quick trips to get groceries. Here’s a little background for you: my mum and I share an apartment. She’s retired (she’ll be 80 in a couple of weeks, which puts her in one of the most susceptible age groups for Covid-19) and I work from home. We don’t have a car so we normally travel by bus. Our city’s bus system is decent; it has its issues and annoyances like any other mode of public transit, but it gets us where we need to go. It can be difficult hauling groceries home, but we’ve been doing it for a long time. Near the beginning of March, I saw a lot of my friends in the UK talking about how bad things were getting there. The virus was spreading and so was the panic. People were emptying shelves of food and, of course, toilet paper. Will we ever get over the whole toilet paper thing? It honestly boggles my mind and I’m still hearing people say it’s scarce in a lot of places. Anyway, seeing this on a daily basis made me realize it was only a matter of time before the same thing happened here. My mum and I decided to make as many trips as necessary to get stocked up on supplies so we could avoid taking the bus if things got really bad. We made a total of three trips in the first two weeks of March, with the last one being Friday the 13th. By then, the panic was spreading here and people were beginning to stockpile. I had seen pictures and videos online and on TV of crowds of shoppers and empty shelves, but it was incredibly sobering to see it in person. I was grateful I’d had the foresight to start stocking up the week before because I knew that Friday would be our last trip before going into isolation. I want to note that while we stocked up on essentials, we didn’t stockpile; not only is there only so much the two of us can carry home on the bus, there's are also only so much storage in our two-bedroom apartment. For the first week and a bit, I was in a near-constant anxiety spiral. I pretty much lived on Twitter, reading news from around the world and stories of how people were coping - or not coping. I quickly learned I was far from alone in my inability to concentrate on anything. The countless other creatives who said they were unable to focus on work made me feel marginally better. I wanted to get off Twitter and do something - anything - and yet I’d get stuck in a loop and suddenly huge chunks of time had gone by and I couldn’t account for any of it. Reading the news was upsetting and heartbreaking, and left me feeling like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. Between my anxiety and my empathic nature, it was all so overwhelming. Add to that the fact I wasn’t writing or doing anything work-related, and I was a wreck.

The view from my balcony. Wishing on all the stars these days.

It took me about two weeks to wean myself off Twitter. Now I’m on it about as much as I was pre-pandemic. I still haven’t done much writing, but I’m back to reading, which is a huge relief because it’s a great escape. One of the weirdest things about this whole situation is that in the grand scheme of things, my life isn’t that much different now than it usually is. I work from home and I don’t have much of a social life. The only people I typically see regularly (besides my mum, of course) are my brother and my youngest nephew and niece (who I'm currently missing like crazy; their absence is one of the hardest parts of all this). The majority of my friends are online and are scattered all over the world, and my best friend lives out of town so I’m used to not seeing her for months at a time. And yet everything feels different. I think it’s the uncertainty and the fear; not knowing how long we’ll be in isolation, and also being afraid of somehow catching the virus or someone we know and love getting sick. It’s knowing this has affected the entire world, and so many are suffering.
I’m ever hopeful I’ll be able to get back to writing regularly, but I’m slowly learning not to be so hard on myself. I keep seeing people saying ‘this is not normal working from home, this is working from home during a pandemic - it’s not the same’. The thing is, my anxiety often manifests as guilt, and I was feeling a lot of guilt those first couple of weeks. I constantly felt like I should be doing something productive and using this time wisely, but it just wasn’t happening. I told so many other people not to be too hard on themselves, but found it difficult to extend that same compassion to myself. I’m slowly getting better at it. Now I’m concentrating on the things that bring me joy and provide a distraction. Some of them make me feel productive and others don’t - both are valid. The two routines I’ve managed to maintain through all of this are my daily French lesson on Duolingo and my daily step goal. What’s helped with that last one is having an ongoing weekday competition on Fitbit with my best friend and her siblings, in-laws, and a couple of friends. We started around the beginning of the year and have kept it up every week. We've all been doing fewer steps the last two weeks, but we’re still going, and I know for me it’s a huge motivator because it keeps me accountable. I’ve been cooking a lot lately. I’ve always been the main cook in my home and I swing between loving it and doing it out of necessity. I’d lost a lot of interest in it before all this, but since being isolated, my passion has been rekindled. One night my mum pointed out it was likely because I had more time, and I realized she was right; I’d normally work all day, stop to cook and eat, then often go back to work for a bit. It was a chore. Now it’s nothing for me to spend up to an hour in the kitchen every evening, and I’ve gotten back into experimenting and having fun with cooking again.

One of my favourite creations so far; click here to find out what's in it

Talking to friends has been a huge help through all this. I swear I spend half the day sending memes, pictures, and various funny things to my two closest friends. We still vent and talk about the things bothering us, but we always make sure to keep each other laughing too. I've also been chatting a lot more with people on Twitter and Instagram; it's been nice having the chance to grow closer to people I already cared about and to make some new friends too. We really are all in this together and it's important to remember that.
I'm keeping myself entertained with books, Instagram, and Schitt’s Creek. I’ve been gravitating toward the light and funny, and Schitt’s Creek is perfect for that. I guess I’d been living under a rock because I don’t remember really even hearing about the show until late last year. I started watching it a few weeks ago and it’s exactly the type of thing I need right now - hilarious, ridiculous, and heartfelt. I also absolutely love the fact it’s filmed in Canada and features almost an entirely Canadian cast. As for reading, my lack of concentration affected my reading for awhile but I’m back to it now, thank goodness. I’m all about the light and funny with books too, and I’ve been recommending tons of my favourites on bookstagram lately. I have a few blog posts with book recommendations planned too, so stay tuned for those!

How are you dealing with everything? How has life changed for you since all this began? What's been bringing you joy and keeping you sane through this?

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A Very Long and Spoiler-y Review of The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez
Published: June 19th, 2019
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary romance
Tropes: Friends to lovers
My rating: 4.5 stars
Acquired this book: Bought
Warning: This review contains spoilers
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Buy now: Amazon Canada || Amazon US || Indigo

Kristen Petersen doesn't do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don't get her. She's also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.

Planning her best friend's wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He's funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he'd be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it's harder and harder to keep him at arm's length.

The Friend Zone is a contradiction in many ways - light and hilarious but also gut-wrenching and heartbreaking. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions, and as I read, I found it difficult to pin down my own thoughts and feelings about the book. If I was rating it based on my heart, I’d give it five stars. My head would give it four or maybe less. It’s been a long time since I read a book that I simultaneously loved and hated. And even ‘hated’ is maybe too strong a word - it’s more that I got annoyed and frustrated and even fed up at times, but the book was so entertaining, so well written, and had sucked me in so completely that I found it impossible to stop reading.

I knew two spoilers going into this book: I read a few reviews that mentioned the infertility storyline and how it was basically all wrapped up in a neat little bow by the end, which made a lot of people angry. I also skimmed the synopsis of The Happy Ever After Playlist, so I knew Kristen’s best friend’s fiance/Josh’s best friend died. Even though I despise spoilers, I was actually glad I knew about Brandon’s death going in because I think I would have ripped the book to shreds and thrown it out the window. I expect hardships in books - every story needs conflict and struggle - but death, especially one that was so tragic, is not something I'd expect in a book like this. It goes back to what I said about this book being a contradiction - it was mostly a light, funny, sexy story and then BAM, a horrible, heartbreaking death.

Now, the infertility storyline. I appreciated it so much, despite having some issues with how things ultimately played out. Periods are rarely talked about in books, but they’re a fact of life for women, and many women have extremely difficult periods. Kristen had dealt with difficult periods her whole life, and fibroids in her uterus caused her to bleed for weeks at a time, often to the point of anemia. She had killer cramps and her bleeding ranged from spotting to blood bath. It affected every aspect of her life - her mood and energy levels, her sex life, her self-confidence. It was amazing to see all of that on the page. Kristen also had OCD; I admit, I found it strange that it wasn’t revealed until almost the end of the book, although if you know the signs you might have suspected. When she first mentioned her OCD, I thought it was in that cringeworthy flippant way people use it, not an actual diagnosed case of OCD until Josh flat-out asked her.

While I appreciated the infertility storyline, I hated that it became the reason Kristen pushed Josh away. Instead of talking to him about it and being honest with him - which annoyed me in itself because Kristen was always very honest and blunt - she hid it and made the decision for him. I do understand that part came down to her lack of self-worth, but it got to be too much. Josh loved her unconditionally; he saw all her faults and flaws and loved her - not despite them, but because of them. He didn’t want to change her, he didn’t want to tame her, he just wanted HER. The way he took care of her and loved her was a thing of beauty...but the way she often treated him was not. I could understand her waffling to a point, but then we reached that point and it went on for 100+ more pages. The back and forth, her pulling him closer only to push him away, giving him hope and ripping it away - it made me nuts. On the one hand, I loved Josh even more for sticking around, being determined to make things work, and never giving up, but on the other hand, I kept thinking ‘enough is enough’.

I know all of that likely makes it seem like I hated the book more than I loved it, but I really did love the book despite those things. Even though I got annoyed by those things, the fact is, they were realistic. Big life problems aren’t solved quickly or easily. Kristen frustrated the hell out of me at times, but I also really connected with her and appreciated how real she was. Her flaws made her relatable. My heart went out to her because her behaviour stemmed from a lack of self-worth. The way her mother treated her growing up and even as an adult made her think no one would ever truly love her. She thought she wasn’t good enough because her mom made her feel like a screw-up at every turn. Josh saw beyond all that and loved every bit of her, unconditionally and without reserve.

The Friend Zone may have left me with contradictory feelings and thoughts, but ultimately I loved this book. It was a story about friendship, perseverance, self-discovery, and unconditional love. I became really invested in these characters and their story; I laughed, cried, swooned, and basically ran the gamut of emotions throughout. It deals with some difficult, potentially triggering subjects like infertility, death, grief, and OCD, among other things, and I do think it’s important that people are aware of those things, but ultimately this is a beautiful, hopeful story. I have a feeling The Happy Ever After Playlist will leave me a crying mess, but I can’t wait to read Sloan’s story and I hope we see lots more of Josh and Kristen.

Have you read The Friend Zone? What did you think? Are there any books that have left you with contradictory feelings?

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