MONTHLY RECAP | March 2015

A lot happened in March, which is kind of weird because nothing ever happens. But it’s all good! It was a very fabulous month!

On a different note, after looking at Charlotte’s gorgeous recap for February, I felt like I needed to step up my game, and voila! I’m so in love with this layout, and I’m trying not to overuse it (WHICH IS REALLY HARD FOR ME RIGHT NOW!).

And oh boy, friends. Prepare yourself because I have A LOT to say.

WHAT’S UP?

I saw Leighton Meester! 

YES. I saw this beautiful woman—this ethereal goddess. And it was such an experience! I haven’t been to a concert in forever (probably not since high school), so for Leighton to be my first concert as an adult is everything I could ever wish for. When she appeared, the crowd went absolutely wild. I didn’t want to be the asshole that had their phone recording Leighton sing, but I had to get video of Blue Afternoon (because BLUE AFTERNOOOOONNNNNNN). She sang all the songs off her fabulous album, Heartstrings, and four cover songs: “You Ain’t Woman Enough to Take My Man” – Loretta Lynn, “Lovefool” – The Cardigans, “Dreams” – Fleetwood Mac, and “No Matter What” – Badfinger!

Of course, the concert wasn’t all fun, particularly waiting in line and for Leighton to appear on stage as well as fellow concert-goers being assholes (like a guy dropping his drink on the floor, which got all over my shoes, and I was practically wading in it the entire concert, because his arm was getting tired of holding it, and people yelling out Gossip Girl shit at Leighton). At least, I bonded with a girl standing next to me; we mutually sideeyed the people around us who were being assholes. But it was an experience! (It just confirmed that I hate crowds. Like, I don’t want to feel you, a stranger, pressed against my back, but that’s concerts for ya.)

But I enjoyed every moment Leighton was on the stage.

I totally failed Epic Recs this month.

Charlotte was rocking this month’s Epic Recs, where I, well, epically failed. Whoops? I had every intention to read Stormdancer, but it just didn’t happen. I’m a mood reader, so I just wasn’t up to reading it (especially after I got obsessed with my Camp NaNoWriMo project). Damn.

I kicked off an awesome feature called Essential Reading that I’m really proud of! 

I’M SO PROUD, GUYS! For those who have not had the pleasure of visiting the posts, Essential Reading are posts where authors share five to seven books (children’s, YA, general fiction, romances, nonfiction, and all) that they or their characters love, or has impacted their lives or their characters’s lives. I had always been curious about what books the characters I read would love, and voila!

If you haven’t checked out the post, here are the two: David Arnold on Mim’s Essential Reading list + Becky Albertalli on Simon’s Essential Reading list! I’m also giving away a copy of Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda!

I’m just incredibly happy that you have been enjoying the two that have been published so far! It’s so dear to my heart! It’s my brain-child. ;D

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda is a book I will shove into people’s faces. 

Your face doesn’t look like it’s occupying your face? BOOK SHOVE. (Just imagine a cake being smashed onto your face. It’s like that, but with this book!) This book was just so darn cute and delightful! WHY DID I ONLY READ IT A WEEK AND A HALF BEFORE THE PUB DATE? WHY DIDN’T I READ EARLIER? BUT BETTER NOW THAN NEVER BECAUSE OH MAN. BECKY ALBERTALLI, THIS REALLY DID NOT DISAPPOINT.

SITTING ON MY BOOKSHELF

Blogger Love-A-Thon winnings

Thank you for the books! <3 A lot of these (mainly the ARCs) will be given away or donated. :)

Borrowed from the Library

Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Revival
Young Avengers, Vol. 1: Style > Substance
Young Avengers, Vol 2: Alternative Culture

The Undertaking of Lily Chen by Danica Novgorodoff
The Graveyard Book Graphic Novel, Volume 1 by Neil Gaiman & P. Craig Russell
Here by Richard McGuire
The Encyclopedia of Early Earth by Isabel Greenberg

I went a bit crazy when I went to the library. I borrowed A LOT of graphic novels.

BLOG POSTS GALORE

REVIEWS

• The Art of Wishing by Lindsay Ribar
• Life By Committee by Corey Ann Haydu
• Duplicity by N.K. Traver

BOOK COVERS

• Changes in Tease by Amanda Maciel
• Theme: Paper Cut Outs

DISCUSSIONS

• Comic: Like A Virus: A Ghost Story Like No Other
• Camp NaNoWriMo: My OUTLAW BABES project + things that inspire me!

LETTERS

• A letter from yours truly to Vengeance Road and Erin Bowman

LISTS

• Essential Reading | Five Books Mim from Mosquitoland Would Love + Why!
• Essential Reading | Seven Books Simon (from Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda) Would Read and Love
• Top Ten Books From My Childhood/Teen Years That I Would Love To Revisit

EPIC RECS

• March 2015 · Charlotte recommended Stormdancer, and I recommended her Perfect Ruin. Muahahahahahaha.

CURRENT OBSESSIONS

From Dusk till Dawn is everything I love.

Bank robbers + Aztec Vampires + Aztec Mythology? Fuck yes.

(Source)

I had planned to watch From Dusk Till Dawn eventually, but this gif set convinced me to watch pronto. (I’M JUST A SUCKER FOR THE NICKNAME, OKAY? AND THE FEELS, DUDES. UGHHHH.) And when you watch the show, you get invested in the characters and their relationship with each other—the Gecko brothers (always looking out for each other) and the Fullers—as well as the small gestures that just killlll me. JUST EVERYTHING. It’s really good.

I have a new writing project with the codename OUTLAW BABES.

MY PRECIOUS BABIES! I am really obsessed with the characters I created. Beyond obsessed. GO READ MY CAMP NANOWRIMO INSPIRATION POST BECAUSE I TALK A LOT ABOUT THEM! ;D

NOTE TO SELF FOR NEXT MONTH

 It’s gonna be a graphic novel April! 

Because I borrowed A LOT of graphic novels, I’ve decided to make April my graphic novel reading month, with the exception of April ARCs I will be reading and reviewing. Will I achieve my goals of reading everything I borrowed? Hopefully!

How was your March? Anything you’re looking forward to in April like books?