One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London: A Bitter Disappointment

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London
Published: July 7th, 2020
Publisher: Dial Press
Tropes: Reality TV
Heat level: 🔥🔥
My rating: 2.5 stars
# of pages: 432
Acquired this book: From the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for honest consideration
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Bea Schumacher is a devastatingly stylish plus-size fashion blogger who has amazing friends, a devoted family, legions of Insta followers--and a massively broken heart. Like the rest of America, Bea indulges in her weekly obsession: the hit reality show Main Squeeze. The fantasy dates! The kiss-off rejections! The surprising amount of guys named Chad! But Bea is sick and tired of the lack of body diversity on the show. Since when is being a size zero a prerequisite for getting engaged on television?

Just when Bea has sworn off dating altogether, she gets an intriguing call: Main Squeeze wants her to be its next star, surrounded by men vying for her affections. Bea agrees, on one condition--under no circumstances will she actually fall in love. She's in this to supercharge her career, subvert harmful anti-fat beauty standards, inspire women across America, and get a free hot air balloon ride. That's it.

But when the cameras start rolling, Bea realizes things are more complicated than she anticipated. She's in a whirlwind of sumptuous couture, Internet culture wars, sexy suitors, and an opportunity (or two, or five) to find messy, real-life love in the midst of a made-for-TV fairy tale. In this joyful, razor-sharp debut, Bea has to decide whether it might just be worth trusting these men--and herself--for a chance to live happily ever after.

I had high hopes for One to Watch - a fat Instagram-famous fashionista going on a reality dating show to find love? Sign me up! I was expecting something cute, funny, empowering, romantic, and feel-good. What I actually got was slammed in the face with a book full of fatphobia, making One to Watch incredibly difficult to read and often downright depressing.

I love when I can relate to a character, whether it’s because they’re fat or deal with mental illness or they’re nerdy or love to travel or whatever. If I can connect to a character because of common life experiences or interests, it makes it that much easier to love a book. In the case of One to Watch, my connection to Bea stirred up a lot of painful emotions. See, like Bea, I’m fat. I’ve always been fat. I’ve been made fun of, I’ve been bullied, I’ve been ridiculed, I’ve been judged. And like Bea, I’ve worried that no one will ever see past my size and love me for me. After so many rejections, both big and small, it becomes impossible to fathom that anyone would ever find you desirable or love you or be in a relationship with you. I’ve felt invisible for so long that it’s become a shield, and I saw that in Bea - her suspicion and mistrust and defensiveness around people, especially guys.

While on the one hand it was nice to see myself in Bea and to see the struggles many fat people face talked about with brutal honesty (emphasis on the 'brutal'), it was also too much at times. Bea couldn’t seem to catch a break. For most of the book, it seemed like her fears about how she was perceived and would never find love were completely founded. People treated her like shit. They judged and ridiculed her. So much of the book was Bea being relentlessly humiliated by fatphobic assholes and questioning her self-worth. At times it felt overwhelming seeing all my own fears and insecurities play out right before my eyes. 

All of this isn’t to say I didn’t like Bea, because I did. I could see myself being friends with her and I’d definitely love to get some fashion tips from her! I appreciated how strong and smart and real she was. The reality TV aspect of the book was interesting; I used to be obsessed with The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, so I enjoyed reading about the fictionalized version of a show like that with all its ups and downs, the drama, and the dream dates. I didn’t connect to any of the guys, though, and didn’t think any of them were really right for Bea. With the premise of the book being a reality dating show, the guys’ motivations weren’t clear (were they there for fame? Did they want to use the show to advance their own careers? Did they want to get a spot on one of the franchise’s spin-off shows?) and we didn’t get to know any of them well enough to know whether they suited Bea long term. Her constant doubts about them didn’t help either because I found myself mistrustful of every single one of them, waiting for the moment when she would be humiliated yet again...which always, always happened.

Overall, this book was a miss for me. There were too few triumphs for Bea after so much pain, heartache, and humiliation. I was hoping for a book that would leave me feeling hopeful and happy, not depressed and disappointed. I would have loved to see Bea have more things work out in her favour, more circumstances where she was the winner instead of the loser. She was obviously a confident, self-assured woman, but we got to see very little of that because she was constantly put in crappy situations that often left her feeling like the butt of a bad joke.

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Review: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Series: Waverley Family #1

Published: January 1st, 2007

Publisher: Bantam

286 pages (hardcover)

Genre: Contemporary women’s fiction/magical realism

Acquired this book: From the library

Warning: May contain spoilers

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The women of the Waverley family -- whether they like it or not -- are heirs to an unusual legacy, one that grows in a fenced plot behind their Queen Anne home on Pendland Street in Bascom, North Carolina. There, an apple tree bearing fruit of magical properties looms over a garden filled with herbs and edible flowers that possess the power to affect in curious ways anyone who eats them.

For nearly a decade, 34-year-old Claire Waverley, at peace with her family inheritance, has lived in the house alone, embracing the spirit of the grandmother who raised her, ruing her mother's unfortunate destiny and seemingly unconcerned about the fate of her rebellious sister, Sydney, who freed herself long ago from their small town's constraints. Using her grandmother's mystical culinary traditions, Claire has built a successful catering business -- and a carefully controlled, utterly predictable life -- upon the family's peculiar gift for making life-altering delicacies: lilac jelly to engender humility, for instance, or rose geranium wine to call up fond memories. Garden Spells reveals what happens when Sydney returns to Bascom with her young daughter, turning Claire's routine existence upside down. With Sydney's homecoming, the magic that the quiet caterer has measured into recipes to shape the thoughts and moods of others begins to influence Claire's own emotions in terrifying and delightful ways.

As the sisters reconnect and learn to support one another, each finds romance where she least expects it, while Sydney's child, Bay, discovers both the safe home she has longed for and her own surprising gifts. With the help of their elderly cousin Evanelle, endowed with her own uncanny skills, the Waverley women redeem the past, embrace the present, and take a joyful leap into the future.

 

I don’t often re-read books, especially ones I read before I started book blogging. Since I started the blog, my tastes have changed so much, plus I’ve become a much more critical reader. I’m always afraid books I loved a few years ago won’t hold up in my mind and it’ll taint the way I once felt about them.

When I heard Sarah Addison Allen had written a sequel to Garden Spells, a book I read and loved several years ago, I was excited. I remembered Garden Spells fondly, and decided to reread it before First Frost came out, despite my fear of it not holding up. I loved this book as much now as I did when I first read it. Beautifully written, romantic, bittersweet, and full of magic and whimsy, Garden Spells remains one of my favourite books.

Everyone in Bascom, North Carolina, knows there’s something strange about the Waverleys. They’re drawn to them as much as they’re repelled. Each Waverley has her own kind of magic, although most people don’t see it as magic, they see it as something peculiar. Claire has a special way with food; Sydney has a gift with hair; Evanelle has to give people things they’ll need, even though she doesn’t know why they’ll need them; and Bay instinctively knows where things (and people) belong. I love how the characters stories were woven together, and how we even got glimpses into other side characters’ lives when they were affected by the Waverley women.

Magical realism is still something that fascinates me. Garden Spells is contemporary - set in our world with real people going through real things - but there are these bits of magic woven throughout. And what’s amazing about that magic is that it’s done in a way that’s completely believable. I think it helps if you have an active imagination and an open mind, but I never questioned Claire’s gifts or Sydney’s or Bay’s or Evanelle’s. Sarah Addison Allen has a magic of her own with her ability to write things that are fantastical but also believable.

This book explores love in its many forms. It shows the gritty, painful side of family, but also the unbreakable bonds that come from truly understanding yourself and your kin. You get to see the triumphs and failures people experience, the difficult parts of life, as well as the good parts. Garden Spells is the perfect book if you’re looking for an escape from reality. This enchanting and unique book draws you in, tugs on your heartstrings, and makes you believe in magic. 

   

Have you read Garden Spells? What did you think? If you haven't read it, do you plan to? Have you read any of Sarah's other books? What are some of your favourite magical realism books? Let's talk here or on Twitter!

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Review: The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

The Beautiful and the Cursed by Page Morgan

Series: The Dispossessed #1

Published: May 14th, 2013

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

352 pages (ARC)

Genre: Young adult historic fiction/Gothic/paranormal

Acquired this book: Won from Giselle at Book Nerd Canada

Warning: May contain spoilers

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After a bizarre accident, Ingrid Waverly is forced to leave London with her mother and younger sister, Gabby, trading a world full of fancy dresses and society events for the unfamiliar city of Paris.

In Paris there are no grand balls or glittering parties, and, disturbingly, the house Ingrid’s twin brother, Grayson, found for them isn’t a house at all. It’s an abandoned abbey, its roof lined with stone gargoyles that could almost be mistaken for living, breathing creatures.

And Grayson has gone missing.

No one seems to know of his whereabouts but Luc, a devastatingly handsome servant at their new home.

Ingrid is sure her twin isn’t dead—she can feel it deep in her soul—but she knows he’s in grave danger. It will be up to her and Gabby to navigate the twisted path to Grayson, a path that will lead Ingrid on a discovery of dark secrets and otherworldly truths. And she’ll learn that once they are uncovered, they can never again be buried.

 

 

Gargoyles and angels and demons, oh my!

While I was reading The Beautiful and the Cursed, I had a couple people ask me how it was, and this was my response: YA + historic fiction + Paris + gargoyles + hot Scot + beautiful writing = The Beautiful and the Cursed. Basically it had all the elements of things I love in books, and it didn’t disappoint.

Between the stunning cover and the title of this book, I was instantly drawn to it. When I read the synopsis, I was certain it was something I’d enjoy. I was hooked within the first few pages as we were introduced to Ingrid and Gabriella Waverly, who had just moved to Paris from London with their mother, and discovered their brother Grayson, who had come to Paris early to get things ready, was missing, and that girls were disappearing around the city.

There was so much to like about this book. Ingrid and Gabriella were both strong characters; they sometimes struggled with their propriety, since life in Paris - where people were a little more forward-thinking and open-minded - was so different from sheltered society life in London. Despite that, they were both independent, intelligent, and determined, and I liked them both.

Then there were the gargoyles and all the lore surrounding them, which I found fascinating. I’ve never read any books about gargoyles, but ever since I was 17 and saw the ones perched on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, I’ve had this strange fascination with them, and it was one of the main things that originally drew me to this book. Ms Morgan did a fantastic job of building a world in which gargoyles came to life, and I liked that they had a society of their own, with rules, leaders, punishments, and duties. Luc, the gargoyle in charge of the abbey where the Waverlys were living, was a complex character, and I loved the push and pull between him and Ingrid.

The story alternated between each girl's point of view, as well as Luc’s and occasionally Grayson’s. At first I thought it would be really confusing, but it wasn’t. It was interesting to get the story from different perspectives, know what characters were thinking, and see their progression firsthand rather than through the eyes of another character. Ms Morgan has a really great writing style - beautiful, yet simple, and memorable without being flashy.

Now, I mentioned a hot Scot, right? Nolan was just one of the boys we’re introduced to through the course of the story. While I liked Luc, it was Nolan that I really loved. He was a ‘detective’ helping search for Grayson, and investigating the disappearances around Paris.  

The Beautiful and the Cursed had a bit of everything: romance, action, intrigue, paranormal creatures that will both fascinate and horrify, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. It was beautifully written, rich in detail, and wonderfully originally. The ending left a lot of questions unanswered, so I can’t wait to find out what happens in The Lovely and the Lost. 

 

 

Have you read The Beautiful and the Cursed? What did you think? If you haven't read it, is it on your TBR?

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Review: Don’t Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Don’t Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski

Series: Standalone

Published: March 11th, 2014

Publisher: Delacorte Press

336 pages (eARC)

Genre: Contemporary young adult/science fiction

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

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We weren't always like this. We used to be average New York City high school sophomores. Until our homeroom went for flu shots. We were prepared for some side effects. Maybe a headache. Maybe a sore arm. We definitely didn't expect to get telepathic powers. But suddenly we could hear what everyone was thinking. Our friends. Our parents. Our crushes. Now we all know that Tess is in love with her best friend, Teddy. That Mackenzie cheated on Cooper. That, um, Nurse Carmichael used to be a stripper.

Since we've kept our freakish skill a secret, we can sit next to the class brainiac and ace our tests. We can dump our boyfriends right before they dump us. We know what our friends really think of our jeans, our breath, our new bangs. We always know what's coming. Some of us will thrive. Some of us will crack. None of us will ever be the same.
So stop obsessing about your ex. We're always listening.

 

Don’t Even Think About It is a hard book to rate and review. It’s completely different from anything I’ve ever read, which earns it major points, but at the same time, because of the way the story is told there’s not a lot of character development or plot, which is what you typically focus on in a review, right?

A group of high school kids get their flu shot from a batch that's infected. The side effect? Telepathy. Everyone who gets the shot from that batch can read each other’s - and everyone else’s - mind. The story is told by the group, which was really interesting and different. Because they could hear each other’s every thought and they were in on this secret together, they started considering themselves a “we”, and that’s how the story was told. 

I loved getting inside the teens’ heads and hearing their thoughts. So much of what they thought felt really realistic - self-doubt, judgment, sex-filled thoughts, sarcastic/nasty remarks you usually keep to yourself, etc. A lot of it was laugh out loud funny, and I definitely related to a lot of what the girls were thinking about themselves, each other, and the boys. This story proves that no matter how well you know someone - or think you know them - you can never truly know what they’re thinking or what they might think of you…except for these kids who quickly learned what everyone thought about everything, discovered secrets, and plenty of things they never wanted to know (like hearing their parents sexy thoughts about each other - GAH!).

Don’t Even Think About It was a fun, funny, lighthearted, and quick read that would likely appeal to younger teens. It’s the type of book that would make a cute TV show. While I enjoyed it, if you haven’t read any of Mlynowski’s books, I’d recommend starting with Gimme a Call or TenThings We Did (And Probably Shouldn’t Have).

  {Read my review of Gimme a Call || Read my review of Ten Things We Did (And Probably Shouldn't Have)}

 

 

Have you read Don't Even Think About It? What did you think? If you haven't read it, does it sound like something you'd be interested in? If you suddenly developed telepathy would you think it was cool or would you freak out?

 

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Review: The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark

The Angel Stone by Juliet Dark

Series: Fairwick Chronicles, Book #3

Published: September 3rd, 2013

Publisher: Ballantine Books

288 pages (eARC)

Genre: Paranormal romance

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Warning: May contain spoilers

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{Read my review of The Demon Lover || Read my review of The Water Witch}

For Callie McFay, a half-witch/half-fey professor of folklore and Gothic literature, the fight to save the enchanted town of Fairwick, New York, is far from over. After a hostile takeover by the Grove—a sinister group of witches and their cohorts—many of the local fey have been banished or killed, including Callie’s one true love. And in place of the spirit of tolerance and harmony, the new administration at Fairwick College has fostered an air of danger and distrust.

With her unique magical abilities, Callie is the only one who can rescue her friends from exile and restore order to the school—a task that requires her to find the Angel Stone, a legendary talisman of immense power. Propelled on an extraordinary quest back to seventeenth-century Scotland, Callie risks her life to obtain the stone. Yet when she encounters a sexy incarnation of her lost love, she finds the greater risk is to her heart. As the fate of Fairwick hangs in the balance, Callie must make a wrenching choice: reclaim a chance for eternal passion or save everything she holds dear.

The Angel Stone is the final installment in the Fairwick Chronicles. While I’ve had my issues here and there I have to say that overall I really enjoyed this trilogy and will miss the characters and setting. The Demon Lover was sexy, unique, and compelling; The Water Witch, while I mostly enjoyed it, had the most issues of the trilogy, in my opinion, and was kind of slow paced; and The Angel Stone seemed like more of a return to the first book with a faster pace and engaging story.

Each story brought something new that kept me guessing and wanting more. In The Angel Stone, the new element was time travel. While completely unexpected, it was definitely my favourite part of the book. I thought it was all tied together really well, and Callie’s reasons for going to Scotland in the 1600s fit in with everything the reader already knows from the previous books. Fairwick has changed so much since the door to Faerie closed, and Callie and those who are left behind just want things back to normal, and the only way to fix things is to travel back in time.

In the last book, I found myself getting really irritated with Callie. Not only was she completely oblivious to things that should have been obvious, but she also couldn’t seem to make up her mind about anything, especially her love life. She was so hurt about what happened with Liam but that didn’t stop her from falling in love with Bill and being interested in Duncan. In The Angel Stone, she seemed to finally have her head on straight, and she was focused on doing what had to be done to keep the people and the town she’d come to know and love safe.

Like with the other books in the Fairwick Chronicles, there was a great cast of secondary characters in The Angel Stone. I particularly liked Frank, Mac, Nan, and William. They each taught Callie something, and I loved how well fleshed-out they were. I also really love Ralph. I never thought I'd love a mouse (other than maybe Mickey Mouse) but if I could have a mouse like him, I would!

I often dread the final book in a series or trilogy because sometimes things don’t end well, or there are a lot of loose ends. I thought Dark did a good job of bringing everything together and tying it all up. By the last quarter or so of the book I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough; I was so anxious to find out what would happen and how things would be resolved, and I found myself both laughing and crying. And the romance. *sigh* The romance played a major part in this series, between dreams, reality, and the present and the past, and I thought it all came together beautifully. I couldn't imagine how things would be resolved, and this little romantic *points to self* thought it was perfect.

This trilogy, while it had some issues, had everything I love: romance, great characters, a fascinating setting, every paranormal creature you could think of, time travel, fairytale elements, magic…I could go on. I’d have no hesitation in recommending it to fans of paranormal romance, and I truly am going to miss Callie and the Fairwick gang.

 

Have you read any of the books in the Fairwick Chronicles? Do you enjoy paranormal romance?

 

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Stacking the Shelves + What's Happening ~ August 10th

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews

WON:
From Kristilyn at Reading in Winter (via Random House Canada)

 Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella {GoodReads}

FOR REVIEW:

 

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner {GoodReads}

The Promise of Amazing by Robin Constantine {GoodReads}

Keeping Her by Cora Carmack {GoodReads}

 BOUGHT:

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott {GoodReads}
Last Sunday was the 2-year anniversary of my Grama's death, so I went with my family back to her grave, which is about an hour away. The drive is mostly farmland and countryside, and on our way home, we passed this old house selling antiques and odds and ends of stuff, so we stopped and I found this copy of Little Women (published in England in 1974; it smells just like the cottage I used to visit in the summers on the island where my Grama was born and raised), and this little metal phone and gramophone. I love old phones and gramophones, so I was really excited with my finds! Also? The book was only $1! The little mark from where I'm assuming there was once a price sticker kinda bothers me, but it's gorgeous anyway and that smell...god, I was transported right back to my childhood. 

The Distance Between Us by Kasie West {GoodReads}

 Hourglass by Myra McEntire {GoodReads}

Timepiece by Myra McEntire {GoodReads}

My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White {GoodReads}

The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen {GoodReads}

Keep Me Still by Caisey Quinn {GoodReads} 

*A huge thank you to Kristilyn and Random House Canada, Disney Hyperion, Balzer + Bray, and William Morrow*

The Uprising by Lisa M Stasse {GoodReads}

At Grave's End by Jeaniene Frost {GoodReads}

 

Take Me Now by Faith Sullivan {GoodReads}

• I participated in the cover reveal for Jessica Sankiewicz's debut novel, If Only We. This was exciting for me for three reasons: Jessica is one of my closest friends; 2) the book sounds amazing; and 3) I designed the cover! Be sure to check it out and let us know what you think.

• I reviewed The Forsaken and The Uprising by Lisa M Stasse and gave them both 3.5 stars. Even though I had some issues with these books, I think this is overall a really good dystopian trilogy, and I'm looking forward to reading the final installment.

How was your week? Did you get any new books? Have you read any good ones that you'd recommend? Tell me in the comments below or post a link to your Stacking the Shelves/Book Haul/In My Mailbox/Showcase Sunday, etc. Happy reading! <3

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Review: Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

Series: Standalone

Published: April 30th, 2013

Publisher: Ballantine Books

352 pages (e-ARC)

Genre: Contemporary women’s fiction/chick lit

Acquired this book: From the publisher via NetGalley

Warning: May contain spoilers

{GoodReads || Buy this book: Book Depository || Amazon || Chapters/Indigo}

From Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, comes a witty, charming, and hilariously relatable debut novel about a struggling young actress trying to get ahead―and keep it together―in New York City.

It’s January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left of the three-year deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, dreaming of Broadway and doing “important” work. But all she has to show for her efforts so far is a part in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters, and a gig waiting tables at a comedy club. Her roommates―her best friend Jane, and Dan, an aspiring sci-fi writer―are supportive, yet Franny knows a two-person fan club doesn’t exactly count as success. Everyone tells her she needs a backup plan, and though she can almost picture moving back home and settling down with her perfectly nice ex-boyfriend, she’s not ready to give up on her goal of having a career like her idols Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep. Not just yet. But while she dreams of filling their shoes, in the meantime, she’d happily settle for a speaking part in almost anything—and finding a hair product combination that works.

Everything is riding on the upcoming showcase for her acting class, where she’ll finally have a chance to perform for people who could actually hire her. And she can’t let herself be distracted by James Franklin, a notorious flirt and the most successful actor in her class, even though he’s suddenly started paying attention. Meanwhile, her bank account is rapidly dwindling, her father wants her to come home, and her agent doesn’t return her calls. But for some reason, she keeps believing that she just might get what she came for.

Someday, Someday, Maybe is a story about hopes and dreams, being young in a city, and wanting something deeply, madly, desperately. It’s about finding love, finding yourself, and perhaps most difficult of all in New York City, finding an acting job.

Lauren Graham has been one of my favourite actresses since 2000 when I was first introduced to her as Lorelei Gilmore on what would become one of my all-time favourite TV shows, Gilmore Girls. When I discovered she had written a book I was both excited and slightly wary. Many actors who decide to start writing should clearly stick with their day jobs, and I’ll admit I was afraid that would be true of Graham. Thankfully my concerns were unnecessary.

All of the charm and wit we see in Graham on the TV/movie screen translated into her debut novel, Someday, Someday, Maybe. I could almost hear her voice in my head while I was reading, as if we were friends and she was telling me about these crazy things that were happening to her. I’m not sure how much of the story is fiction and how much she took from her own experience, but to me Franny was Lauren, and I could picture the entire story with absolute clarity.

Franny was a great character. She was funny, smart, and determined, and I enjoyed watching her learn and grow. She discovered a lot about herself throughout the course of the book, and also about the people around her. Life doesn’t always take the direction you expect, and while sometimes it can be frustrating and heartbreaking, other times it can be the best thing in the world. 

The secondary characters were also terrific and well fleshed-out, from Franny's roommates to her dad to her friends and fellow actors. I particularly enjoyed how things played out with the romance - I won’t say too much because I don’t want to be spoiler-y, but I liked that it wasn’t the main focus of the book, and I also appreciated what it taught Franny and how it was an unexpected bonus in her life during a difficult time. 

I loved the setting of the book and getting to experience New York City in the ’90s. New York is always one of my favourite settings for books, and Graham made me feel like I was there. Through Franny’s experiences, I felt like I got an inside look at acting - the highs, the lows, the people, the crazy things you have to do sometimes. It was interesting to get that behind-the-scenes look, and to see that it’s not all glamorous, but that acting is indeed an art.

 

Quirky, laugh-out-loud funny, charming, and surprisingly touching, Someday, Someday, Maybe was a solid debut from Lauren Graham. I sincerely hope this multi-talented woman plans to write more novels in the future!

*I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*  

Have you read Someday, Someday, Maybe? What did you think? Are you a fan of Lauren Graham?

Any fellow diehard Gilmore Girls fans out there? This is one of my top 5 favourite shows of all time. It meant so much to me (still does), and I could talk about it for ages. So let's talk!

Also, have you seen the Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge? I haven't made it very far yet but I'm plugging away!

 

 

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