Pride Month 2020 Reading Recap

*Please note: Each book has a link to Amazon, which is an affiliate link - all earnings go into the upkeep of this blog, and I truly appreciate your support - but if you have a local indie bookshop you can support, please be sure to do so!

At the beginning of June, I shared a post featuring 12 LGBTQ+ books that were on my TBR for Pride Month. Throughout June, I managed to read seven LGBTQ+ books, but only four of them were actually from that list. For the list, I chose 12 books at random from my general TBR, but about a week into the month, I realized my list of 12 could easily have been doubled, especially as I added to my TBR almost daily.

I've always done my best to read diversely, but this month I realized I can - and should - be doing better. I love LGBTQ+ books and have read many over the years, but most of them have been by white authors and tend to feature gay, lesbian, and bi characters. It wasn't a conscious thing - I often choose books at random - but now I'm going to make sure I seek out more LGBTQ+ books by BIPOC authors that also feature a wider range of the queer spectrum.

I read some truly fantastic books in June. I broadened my usual reading horizons and aimed to include as much intersectional diversity as possible on my reading list. These are the seven LGBTQ+ books I read in June, in the order I read them:

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner
Genre: Contemporary Romance
My rating: 2 stars
Representation: Lesbian Chinese-American heroine, Jewish bisexual heroine 
Goodreads || Buy

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
My rating: 5 stars
Representation: Black queer trans demiboy hero, biracial bisexual love interest
Read my review
Add to Goodreads || Buy

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Dystopian/Retelling
My rating: 4.5 stars
Representation: Black lesbian heroine, lesbian love interest
Add to Goodreads || Buy

The Falling in Love Montage by Ciara Smyth
Genre: Young Adult Romantic Comedy
My rating: 4.5 stars
Representation: Lesbian heroine, lesbian love interest
Read my review
Add to Goodreads || Buy

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult
My rating: DNF at 50%
Representation: Black biromantic asexual heroine, Japanese love interest
Add to Goodreads || Buy

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert
Genre: Romantic Comedy
My rating: 5 stars
Representation: Black bisexual curvy heroine, Pakistani Muslim hero with anxiety
Read my review
Add to Goodreads || Buy

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
Genre: Romantic Comedy
My rating: 5 stars
Representation: Gay hero, gay love interest
Read my review
Add to Goodreads || Buy

Did you read any LGBTQ+ books in June? Have you read any of these seven books?

{Bookstagram || Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

January 2020 Recap

Happy February! The general consensus from people all over my social media channels is that January was the longest month ever. Who else felt that way? It was cold and dreary here, which is typical for the first month of the year, and I went through spurts of being super productive and doing all the things to feeling completely unmotivated and exhausted for days on end. Overall, January was a good month, but I’m hoping February brings more sunshine and more energy.

Writing and reading
★I published a new book in January! Hung Up on You - a sweet and sexy slow-burn, friends-to-lovers, fake-dating romance - was my fourteenth publication. The reception it’s received so far has absolutely blown me away, and I'm grateful beyond words.
★I managed to write the first several chapters of a Christmas book that'll be published later this year. I’d hoped to write more, but the lead-up to publication is no joke. I spent countless hours making graphics, scheduling posts, seeking out reviewers, and doing a-million-and-one other tasks both big and small. I’m pleased with what I accomplished, but I want to ramp it up this month.
★I read a total of six books in January. I participated in the Lunar New Year Readathon on bookstagram from January 24th-26th, and I’ve joined a variety of 2020 reading challenges, including Romanceopoly, Tackle My TBR, and Read Diverse Romance. 

Books read in January:
★Getting Hot With the Scot by Melonie Johnson
★Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis
★Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
★Mermaid Inn by Jenny Holiday
★One Bed for Christmas by Jackie Lau
★The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang

If you want daily updates on what I’m reading and loving, be sure to follow me on bookstagram.

On the blog
★I reviewed Mermaid Inn by Jenny Holiday, Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis, and Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
★I celebrated the release of Hung Up on You
★I shared some of my favourite things from last year in a 2019 Edition of Friday Favourites

What I watched
★Toward the end of last year, I decided it was finally time to watch Star Wars. It wasn’t that I wasn’t interested all these years, I was just overwhelmed by how many movies there were and didn't know where to begin or where to watch all of them...then came Disney+. Also, I’ll be perfectly honest, I started crushing on Oscar Isaac and wanted to see him in the new Star Wars movies, but figured I might as well do it right and watch all of them. I started watching on the first day of the new year and made it through all eight movies; The Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens are my favourites. I still need to watch Rogue One, Solo, and The Mandalorian, and I need to see Rise of Skywalker, but I wasn’t able to catch it in the theatre.
★My Oscar Isaac obsession continued through the month and I watched Ex Machina (it’s official: movies about artificial intelligence are not for me), Life Itself (somehow depressing and hopeful at the same time), In Secret (also depressing, but sexy af before the depressing stuff), and Inside Llewyn Davis (also - you guessed it - kind of depressing, but Oscar sings and plays guitar, so it’s worth it for that alone).

And the rest...
★I didn’t go out much or do much else in January, but I did kick ass with my step goals through the month. My bestie invited me to participate in a Workweek Hustle group challenge on Fitbit with her and six other people, and it was exactly the motivation I needed to get me moving again after weeks of sitting at my desk way too much. The first and second weeks I made it to second place, and last week I made it to first place with about a 10,000 step lead over the person in second place.
★On bookstagram, I entered a rep search for Always September Shop and was chosen as a rep for February and March! Carly specializes in book sleeves but also makes fabric bookmarks and scrunchies; I bought three of her sleeves last year and I’m so excited to have the chance to represent her business for the next two months. I love supporting small businesses, especially ones run by women, and especially ones owned by fellow Canadians. If you’re in the market for some beautiful, high-quality book sleeves at a great price, be sure to check out Always September on Etsy and you can use the code SWEET10 to save 10% until the end of March.

That pretty much sums up the first month of the new year - and the new decade - for me. How was January for you? Did you read any great books? Do any writing or anything else creative? Accomplish something you’re really proud of? I’d love to hear from you!

{Bookstagram || Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

2019 First Quarter Check-In

Anyone else find it hard to believe we’re already a quarter of the way through 2019? January and February moved along at a slow but steady pace for me, while March flew by. I wish I could say the weather was spring-like in my little corner of Ontario, but considering we’ve had snow on and off the last few days, we’re not quite there yet. 2019 has been a great year for me so far. I’ve made some big changes in my life, especially pertaining to my physical and mental health. I’ve created a morning routine - 30+ minutes of exercise, followed by yoga and meditation - that I’m really proud of. I’ve been working away at my current work in progress (a contemporary romance), I’ve been reading as much as I can, and I’ve succeeded at my goal of having one new blog post each week. Here’s a closer look at what the first quarter of 2019 looked like for me: *I wrote 50,000 words on my current WIP. I’m so close to being finished the first draft!
*It’s been a weird reading year for me. I’ve completed 11 books, but have had 10 DNFs. Ten! Of the books I’ve read, my favourites have been: -Happy New You by Brenda St John Brown, Cassie-Ann L Miller, Ceri Grenelle, Elizabeth Lynx, Jami Albright, Julia Wolf, Laura Lee, Marika Ray, Mya Martin, Nikky Kaye, and Sylvie Stewart -Hold Me Today by Maria Luis -The Upside of Falling Down by Rebekah Crane -At the Mountain’s Edge by Genevieve Graham You can see all my 2019 books (both read and DNFs) here. *On the blog: -Thoughts on How You Want to be Known in Life and How You Want to be Remembered -Spring Cleaning Isn’t Just For Your Home. Here’s How to Spring Clean Your Life Too -7 Books to Satisfy Your Ireland Wanderlust -2019: The Year of Big Life Changes -Experiencing Jealousy as an Author And How To Turn It Into Something Positive -One Day in December by Josie Silver: Did it Live Up to the Hype? -2018: A Year in Review *TV shows I’ve watched and loved: I haven’t been watching much TV this year, but I did watch Bodyguard and Medici: Masters of Florence in March (and I’ll admit both were 100% because Richard Madden was the star). I particularly loved Bodyguard and talked about some of the reasons why here.

Looking ahead at the next quarter of 2019:

*I’ll be finishing and publishing my WIP. I have a title and a publication date in mind, but I’m keeping quiet about both for now. Stay tuned for more details! Once that’s finished, I have a *secret project* I’m excited to work on. I can give you a few hints: it's a series of three books, probably novellas, and they’re romantic comedies.

*I’ll be doing some not-too-far travelling. Next month I’ll be spending a weekend with my bestie in my favourite Canadian city, Kingston, along with the Nation’s Capital, Ottawa. We’re planning to do a day at the Tulip Festival. I love Ottawa and I haven't been there in over a decade, plus I've always wanted to go to the Tulip Festival. In June, I’ll be spending a weekend in Toronto with another friend, attending a 90s Nostalgia Dance Party. If you know me at all, you'll know I live for 90s music. So much so, in fact, that in my last book, Only You, the main character Ivy was obsessed with 90s music too. I’m excited beyond words about both these things!
*I’m going to continue focusing on my health and wellbeing. My body craves movement now, and I love the changes I’m seeing in my body, and how much better I feel. Meditation and journaling have also led to a vast improvement in my mental health. I’m much calmer, less anxious, less stressed, and I find it easier to just roll with things.

How were the first three months of 2019 for you? Do you have anything big planned for the next quarter of the year?

{Bookstagram || Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

January Recap & February Goals

I don’t typically believe in setting New Year’s resolutions. They seem like a set-up for failure. I read somewhere that a huge percentage of people give up their resolutions within the first few weeks, and only a tiny percent actually stick with them through the year. It’s not hard to believe. People want to make big changes in their lives, but don’t realize it takes commitment, a plan, and actionable steps. Or they realize it, but aren’t willing to work for it. After all, we do seem to live in a world of instant gratification and wanting things now.

That being said, when a new year rolls around, I can’t deny the pull of desire to attempt to create new habits and form fresh goals. I’m a goal setter by nature, so it makes sense for me to set yearly goals. To me, there are two keys to succeeding at my goals: 1) Being realistic, and 2) Breaking big goals into smaller, more manageable pieces. The less daunting they seem, the more likely I am to accomplish them, and I think that’s likely true for other people.

January was a month I’m extremely proud of. I accomplished most of my goals, and worked hard to form new daily habits.

What I accomplished in January:

• I read 10 books (my goal was 8)

• Daily habits: I started a habit tracker in my bullet journal so I could get into the habit of doing certain things every day. This has worked with varying degrees of success before, but in January there were very few squares left blank, which makes me happy. A couple of the things I succeeded at every single day were having breakfast and doing my Duolingo French lessons. This is the first time I’ve ever hit a 31-day streak on Duolingo!

• A big thing I want to work at in 2018 is eating healthier (I have specific smaller goals for this, since ‘eat healthier’ is way too broad and vague and I think that’s part of why people don’t stick to it; it needs to be a lifestyle change if you’re really committed to it) and moving more. I ate more fruits and veggies in January than I did in the last several months combined. I’m not even kidding. I also made a conscious effort to reduce my sugar intake - less sweets, less sugar in my coffee, making sure to read labels to check for sugar content. I drank lots of water every single day, went 21 days without pop (considering I normally had pop almost every day, that’s huge for me), and cut back on alcohol. I also made a point to move every day and typically got at least half an hour of walking in, plus simply getting up from my desk and moving around more often. I didn’t set a number-related goal because I’ve done that too often and ended up disappointed, but I did lose almost 5 pounds and I’m thrilled with that.

• My biggest goal was to write my Christmas novella, Christmas Wish. The other day, I thought I’d have to mark this as a ‘failure’ in my January goals. The story was going to be a standalone sequel to my 2017 Christmas novella, Mistletoe Kiss. I got thinking about it, and I realized in a way I did hit my technical goal. When I first started writing, it was meant to be a 20,000-ish word Christmas novella. I planned to release it in November with a cover similar to Mistletoe Kiss so people knew they were a standalone series. But then I got writing and the story took on a mind of its own, and after awhile, I knew it wasn’t meant to be a novella. Bridget’s story was quick and sweet and fluffy - something to read during the holidays as a pick-me-up or to help people get into the holiday spirit. I thought Ivy’s story would have a similar feeling, but Ivy had different ideas and she took things in unexpected directions. I love when that happens, so I’m not complaining at all, especially since I’ve struggled with my writing for so long. I hit the 20,000-word mark on January 29th, so I technically reached my goal, even though Ivy’s story (now no longer ‘Christmas Wish’ and in need of a new title) isn’t finished. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished and where the story is going, so I’ll definitely call this a win.

Overall, I feel like I smashed my January goals. I didn’t get every single thing accomplished I’d hoped to, and I had days where I was frustrated or disappointed in myself, but on the whole, I’m proud of the things I managed to do. I’m feeling motivated and positive, and I’m going to do my best to keep the momentum going in February.

Speaking of February...

February Goals

• Continue with my daily goals of eating breakfast, Duolingo, lots of water, even less pop, making more conscious food decisions, upping my movement even more than January

• Read 8 books

• Finish writing Ivy’s story

• Work on cover redesigns (this is a big February goal, but for now I’m keeping it vague here...more to come!)

I’d also like to do a few things I’ve been saying forever I was going to do like yoga and meditation. I want to live a more conscious, mindful, purposeful life, and I feel like meditation especially would help me focus and clear my mind (which would be nice since my mind feels like it’s going eleventy billion miles an hour most of the time).

PS: If you saw my last post, in which I gushed about Helene Sula and pimped her Instagram for Success course, that course is still open for enrollment but only for a few more days. If you're looking for proven methods to improve your Instagram and want to learn ways to sell a product or service, make money through affiliates or sponsorships, or build an online community for any number of reasons, this course is definitely worth the money. You can check out my post with details and how I've benefited from the course here: The Instagram Game Changer: Helene Sula's Instagram for Success

How did you do with your goals in January? What are some of your goals for February?

You might also like:
 ☆ 6 Self-Care Resolutions to Make a Priority in 2018
  ☆Looking Ahead to 2018: My Word + Goals 
☆Why It’s Important to Take Pleasure in the Little Things

  ☆The Importance of Persevering When You Feel Like You’ve Lost Your Creative Spark

 

{Bookstagram || Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

Monthly Recap: May 2017

Happy June, book lovers! I had a good May - managed to get quite a bit accomplished, spent a lot of time with my family, and read some great books. We're having wild weather here - drastically fluctuating temperatures, a ton of rain and a lot of flooding, and weather that changes from minute to minute, but I guess that's Spring for you! Everything looks beautiful at least, reminding me why Spring is my favourite season next to Autumn.

What I Read in May:

• Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy

• A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J Maas

• Chateau of Happily Ever Afters by Jaimie Admans

• It's Not Like it's a Secret by Misa Sugiura

• Love and Blarney by Zara Keane

• Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess by Shari Green

• Dust and Shadow by Lyndsay Faye

• With Malice by Eileen Cook

• Racing the Sun by Karina Halle

• Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

On the Blog:

• I posted an April Recap

• I reviewed Ramona Blue by Julie Murphy (5 stars), That Thing We Call a Heart by Sheba Karim (3.5 stars), The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie (4 stars), and It's Not Like It's a Secret by Misa Sugiura (3 stars)

• I talked about Mental Health Awareness Month, shared my experience writing about a character with anxiety, and shared a few recommendations for my favourite books that deal with mental illness

Bookstagram Highlights:

Follow me on Bookstagram

I've also been posting more on my personal Instagram feed. We're having such a beautiful spring, it's making my feed look rather artsy, haha.

Follow my personal Instagram

The end of May also marked the end of the latest Bookish Bingo season. I tried really hard to fill as many squares as I could these last three months and amazed myself that I was able to get 4 Bingos! *happy dance*

So, that was my month. How was yours? How many books did you read? Do you have a favourite? Do you have a blog post you wish got more attention in May? Feel free to leave a link in the comments. Also, if you did a wrap-up post, be sure to leave that link too so I can visit you!

{Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

Monthly Recap: April 2017

Happy May, book lovers! April was another busy month for me. The weather was typical wannabe spring - beautiful and warm one day, snow the next day, sun the next, rain for days on end. We've had a ton of rain so far this week and a bunch of places in town are flooding. We're supposed to get even more rain over the weekend and more expected flooding. I just want sun! Everything looks gorgeous at least - all the trees are starting to bud, the grass is bright green, and flowers are starting to bloom. I'm looking forward to consistently nice weather so I can get outside for walks and to take pictures.

What I Read in April:

• Promises to Keep by Genevieve Graham

• Get it Together, Delilah! by Erin Gough

• The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

• It Happened on Love Street by Lia Riley

• The Edge of the Abyss by Emily Skrutskie

• That Thing We Call a Heart by Sheba Karim

Blog Highlights:

• I posted a March Recap

• I reviewed Promises to Keep by Genevieve Graham (5 stars), A Brit Unexpected by Brenda St John Brown (5 stars), The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli (5 stars), Get it Together, Delilah! by Erin Gough (4 stars), and It Happened on Love Street by Lia Riley (4 stars)

• I did a spotlight on Jessica L Tate's debut poetry collection, Now You Can See

Bookstagram Highlights:

Follow me on Bookstagram

So, that was my month. How was yours? How many books did you read? Do you have a favourite? Do you have a blog post you wish got more attention in April? Feel free to leave a link in the comments. Also, if you did a wrap-up post, be sure to leave that link too so I can visit you!

{Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}

Monthly Recap: March 2017

Hello and happy April, beautiful people! March was a quiet month on the blog because I was ridiculously busy with business stuff and real life, but I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things this month. 

What I Read in March:

• Long Road Home by Marie Meyer

• Flying by the Seat of My Pants by Eliza Watson

• A Brit Unexpected by Brenda St John Brown

• Star-Crossed by Barbara Dee

• Learn a Word in 100 Words by Patricia Josephine

• Now You Can See by Jessica L Tate
•  

Blog Highlights:

• I did a February recap
• I participated in the cover reveal for Brenda St John Brown's A Brit Unexpected. This one comes out next week and I was lucky enough to read an ARC - it's so good. Be sure to add it to your TBR if you like romantic comedies!
• I reviewed Let it Shine by Alyssa Cole and gave it 5 stars
• I did a couple of It's Monday! What Are You Reading? posts: #6, #7

Bookstagram Highlights: 

Follow me on Bookstagram

All the Rest:

• Part of what kept me so busy in March was launching a new business! Jessica Tate and I launched Sunrise Author Services on March 20th. If you're an author and you need a book cover or various graphics, and/or promotion and assistance, be sure to visit our site and check out our services!

• I'd hoped to see Beauty and the Beast last month, but I haven't made it yet. What I did get to see was a local production of Pride and Prejudice. I'd never been to our local playhouse, so it was interesting. I'm definitely more a musicals person, but it was enjoyable.

• My obsessions in March: Ed Sheeran's Divide (which I had on repeat for most of the month) and Supernatural (yes, still). I'm almost finished season 5 of Supernatural. I've decided when I'm done I'm going to start a rewatch of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The 20th anniversary is this year (!!!) and since I've been seeing stuff about it everywhere, plus a friend of mine decided to start a rewatch, I've been itching to watch it again. Any Buffy fans around?

So, that was my month. How was yours? How many books did you read? Do you have a favourite? Do you have a blog post you wish got more attention in March? Feel free to leave a link in the comments. Also, if you did a wrap-up post, be sure to leave that link too so I can visit you!

{Instagram || Facebook || Twitter || GoodReads || Pinterest}