Welcome back and happy PRIDE! It’s been so crazy with work and New York City opening up so I hope if you went to the parades in any of the big cities who are having them that you all were safe and had fun and celebrated! I hope I’m not too late to the party but of course I had to come on here to talk about books with you guys. Most specifically, LGBT+ books. So, we’ll start with the books I’ve read and recommend and then the books I’m hoping to read now and in the future. The one thing to remember about any and all months that call us to be ally’s if you are not a part of the community is that this is not the only time to wear your rainbow flags and then go silent on LGBT+ issues once the month of June is over. Educate yourselves in all the ways that you can and make an effort in your daily life to diversify your reading, your watching and your listening. Stay tuned and I might even give some song, movie and show recommendations for all your enjoyment. But until then, let’s get into the BOOKS!
Books I Read (And loved) So, many of these books you guys already know about because I’ve talked about them A LOT. Either on my Instagram or on the blog so I'll link all the appropriate articles discussing them down below but it’s always nice to have a reminder of good things. We start with Take a Hint Dani Brown because Dani is our bisexual queen and we stan her of course. The second book in Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters’ Trilogy follows Dani as a workaholic professor and her friend turned fake-dating lover and school bodyguard, Zafir as they navigate a relationship under the public eye. Zafi is an ex rugby player so the popularity would help the charity that he’s working for after he’s caught carrying Dani out of an elevator in a very romantic gesture. Dani has to learn how to be a better partner to someone she loves and Zafir is just amazing. There’s anxiety rep in here so trigger warning for that but I love this book, I read this book and I will always recommend it. So please go read it. I’ve also talked about Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon because it’s freaking phenomenal, that’s why, and deserves to have another moment to shine. Xeni and Mason are also both bisexual icons and it’s a story that follows a marriage of convenience. Since Xeni’s aunt dies, in order for Xeni to get her part of the will, she has to marry Mason, a man she’s never met before but thinks is gloriously hot and with the Scottish accent? Please. Sign me right up. While Xeni navigates the loss of her aunt, her tumultuous family and a sweet new husband, it takes them coming together to truly understand why her aunt set them up together. (Because she knew they’d be absolutely perfect together, duh.) And they are. Work for It by Talia Hibbert is a M/M romance I just recently read and loved and wrote about. (Sorry for the repeats ya’ll). BUT it’s still worth the mention and at least a reread if you’ve read it already. This story follows Griffin (who runs a freaking plant nursery! How cool is that?!) and Keynes who’s new to town and looking for a place to heal after his life in the city has become...overwhelming. Keynes takes solace in Griffin despite Griffin being the social pariah of the town. It’s a touching story that handles mental health so trigger warning for discussions of depression, suicide, and assault. But it’s a book about growth and healing and learning how to do that with someone you would have never expected. Spoiler alert: I had the biggest book hangover after reading this book so maybe you will too. 😜 The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune is a book I’ve never mentioned on here but everyone who knows me knows it’s all I’ve been talking about. Basically this book is pure gold. It’s sunshine and happiness and joy just wrapped all into one. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Linus Baker meets Arthur on the island of Marsays because Linus is a case worker for children with special powers (magical youth, they call them). Extremely Upper Management requested him for his thorough reports to document the state of affairs on the house that holds the most dangerous children–who is upkept by Arthur. Linus soon learns that children, for one, are not dangerous and the notions that we perceive people to be just because others tell us so, aren’t always true. And rules are made to be questioned if we come to find out that they don't always benefit those they were made to protect. It was a lovely story, and truly the children were the star of the show. So please give it a read because it might even be one of my favorite books of the year. 👀😗 Something Like Love by Chrisina C Jones is the perfect novella featuring two bisexual characters. It’s about Eddie and Astrid being on–seemingly–different planes of existence. He’s a cocky tattoo artist and she’s a fun, free spirited yoga instructor and artist and yet they~also seemingly~just work. In a moment of spontaneity, they decide to test out that chemistry and realize that they simply can’t stay away, so they don’t. Or they try at least. Tilting each other both on each other’s axis’, it’s not quite hate, it’s not quite love, it might even be fate but it’s a little something...like love. See how clever I am? Please. That was good, you can’t even lie. Lol. Okay, onto the final book. Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon is the sapphic romance we all need and love. Alexis meets Trischa at her sister’s bachelorette party except Alexis knew her name to be Treasure at the time. Trisha gave Alexis (and her sisters too of course) the dance of her life but when they find out they’re in the same computer science class, suddenly things begin to click. I loved how sex positive this story was and I love how Alexis was able to find ways to grow into herself through Trisha who was stripping in order to pay the bills. A short novella about two women falling in love, ya’ll have definitely seen this on my Instagram so you know the drill but I loved this book. And that’s it! I could go on and on and honestly, this list is longer than I thought but I wanted to end it here to give some space to the books that I'm hoping to read in the future. Let’s get into it! Books I Plan to Read Drag Me Up R. M Virtues was a book I saw on bisexual_booknerd’s Instagram and was soo intrigued. I love a good Hades and Persephone retelling as much as the next girl and the trans representation is mad luxurious. I‘ve never heard of this author but the cover is beautiful. If you don’t know the story of Hades and Persephone...well, she makes a deal with the devil and he intends to keep her. Of course the variations to the tale depend on who’s writing it but you get the gist. I hope this book lives up to the hype though because the girlies are eating this trope UP. Is it even a trope at this point? Probably. Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. The Tik Tok girlies have been blowing this shit up and so now I’m disinterested in reading it again but I’ve heard great things! Plus I’m trying to make an effort to read my YA books this summer since I’m teaching and want something to share some books with the students (although I’m not sure I should…) so this is on my list. If you don’t know about this book, you must have deleted Tik Tok like the rest of us should so, good for you. But basically, prince meets president’s son and they fall in love. Happily ever after, right? Well, first there’s a little bitterness between the two but I’d say that’s pretty on par with the story. Hate to love, America against Britain...Too soon? I thought it was funny. lmao She Drives Me Crazy by Kelly Quindlen is another effort on my YA journey. Can we talk about how this genre is really coming through with their covers? Kids aged 12-17 are really thriving with the visual aesthetics right now lmao. Were they always this good? Anyways, this is another rivalry romance between a basketball player and a cheerleader. Scottie and Irene are forced to carpool together after a fender bender accident and honestly, I don’t know much else about it. But it’s sapphic, it’s high school, what’s not to love? Hold Me by Courtney Milan has been a book on my radar for soo long now. Maria is a trans woman and Jay na Thalang is bisexual and it’s another hate to love. (Are we seeing a trend here?) Apparently they work together and it’s hate on sight but online…“no one else is in the room when it happens”. And online is when the sparks begin to fly. Maria has a blog–I have a blog!–so basically I think that means we’re destined to be best friends. I’ve heard great things about Courtney Milan so I’m hoping I can get to one of her books this year and this one has always been at the top of my list. That and one of her historical romances but that’s neither here nor there. But this is the end of this list. I hope you guys all enjoyed! Let me know if you’ve read any of these books, what you liked or didn’t like about them, if you have any recommendations! My tbr is a mile long but I’m a mood reader and always looking for something new so anything that I can add to this list or another let me know. That’s all for now! Until Next Time! With love, Arianna
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Okay, so Happy Summer! And Happy Pride Month. The weather in Rochester is finally beautiful and I’m so excited to just relax and hopefully visit some friends, go to the beach, and do some things I’ve been waiting all winter for. But the first thing I can’t wait to do, of course, is read! So a few weeks ago (like two) I had an article out about upcoming Spring/Summer book releases that I was excited for. So please check that out. I just finished working for the magazine Study Breaks and it was so much fun so shoutout to Kris for the amazing opportunity. ANYWAYS. You can read that article, here. But those books are a mixture of genres. (So yay me for pushing my boundaries and if anyone is tired of me talking about romance, you’re welcome. *haha*). But THIS list is romance. So if you really are tired of me talking about romance...too bad. Let’s get into it!
One Last Stop-Casey McQuiston (june 1) Next up on the bucket list? Sunset Boulevard. So maybe I’m in the wrong state but did you know you could take the train there? I didn’t. (and sunsets are ~summer-y~) But this book revolves around the TRAIN! Ugh. The city girl in me is thriving already. August doesn’t believe in love and at 24 all she’s focused on doing is waiting on tables, navigating her interesting roommates and perhaps deterring her gaze towards the gorgeous girl on the train. Except Jane doesn’t look like she’s from this year. In fact, she’s stuck on this train in a time loop where she’s actually from the 70s. So of course it’s August’s job to help her get back home...and perhaps start to believe in love all the same. I still have “Red, White, and Royal Blue” on my TBR so I need to jump on this right away and you should too. Let me know how you like it! The Heart Principle-Helen Hoang (August 17) Summer ice cream flavors include: chocolate, vanilla, pineapple, raspberry and this book. (I’m so good with these puns, sign me up for dad of the year). But the third book in the Kiss Quotient series is the perfect story to add to this list of sweet & savory treats. Violin, youtube sensation Anna Sun finds a hard time with recapturing the moment that launched her career and after a surprising breakup, Anna decides the only way to get over her career burnout and boyfriend is through a series of one night stands. Enter Quan Diep {Hamilton’s voice}. Motorcyclist, tattoo ridden hottie is Anna’s three strikes you’re...in? He becomes something more than a one-night stand and when tragedy strikes Anna’s family, in order to fight for each other they have to first learn how to fight for themselves. I’m sooo excited for this book. In college, I’m apparently drawn to books with characters who overcome burnout struggles and a bad boy in theory is always going to be my favorite book boyfriend. Sign me up! The Road Trip-Beth O’leary (june 1) I’m not one for camping but you know road trips always require a good sleeping bag. Or a backseat. *winky face* And who’s better to share the back seat for a cramped period of time other than exes with a tragic breakup story? Addie and her sister are on their way to a friend’s wedding and after they crash into Addie’s ex, Dylan and his friend’s car they have no choice but to carpool–they are headed to the same wedding after all. So will the ride allow them to rekindle what they once lost or confront the past and allow them to move on for good? I’m not one to predict successful outcomes but it’s a romance! I can’t wait to see how they fall in love again. Better yet, spill the tea on their history and give me all the drama of four people on the road because that’s bound to have a good story. Lucky for you, we can all read it now. The Hellion’s Waltz-Olivia Waite (june 15) The perfect summer date will not be complete without a night under the stars. Ooh a Ferris wheel at night? What a vibe. To all the parents who tell their children not to read in the dark...you’re right but the ~romance~ of it all. Anyways, this book is the perfect book for a starry night. The third book in the Feminist Pursuits series, I’ve heard great things about this author and her first book “The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics”. But a piano teacher and a swindling silk-weaver? Sign me up. Sophie and her father want the chance to start over without anyone else disrupting their lives, since the last time someone conned her father out of his shop. And Maddie just wants the chance to fund her weavers’ union–and the best chance to do it is through the greedy man Sophie works for. It sounds like a good enemies to lovers and I can’t wait to see how Sophie and Maddie get together. Okay, so we already can tell that some of these dates are past. That’s why this title is “New Book Releases I’m Excited For” as in, just recently released, not yet released (left to creative interpretation), and not yet read by me. All the same feelings apply. So I hope you enjoy, happy reading, happy summer! I hope it’s nice weather wherever you guys are. I hope you can rest and relax even if you’re working or interning. And I’ll talk to you guys soon. Until Next Time! With love, Ariana May is mental health awareness month and I’ve been waiting to talk about all the ways mental health should be treated with just as much care as we do our bodies. I’ve talked about my mental health frequently on the blog and my Instagram before; from therapy, to self reflection, and tracking my personal growth, it’s a journey I’ve loved being able to navigate through social media. But in the same way I’ve expressed how taking social media breaks is probably the best way to keep your mental health in check–especially now with increased social media use and for what it’s used for. So at the moment my Instagram is a little ghost but with summer just around the corner I want to remind you guys to grant yourselves grace. We’ve been working, going to school, and surviving through a pandemic. Mental health has been at an all time fluctuating scale and some days might be even harder now than they ever were before. And that’s okay. The important thing to know is that you matter, above all else. Rest your mind, your heart and your soul and everything else will fall into place.
Now without further ado, let’s talk about these damn songs! Now I love Pentatonix. I’ve been following them since they first came out with their Christmas album in 2015 and I immediately fell in love. Now it’s been awhile since I’ve kept up with any of their albums but I heard two songs and just knew these were perfect to lead this conversation. If you don’t know about Pentatonix, they’re an pop acapella group of five and they’re phenomenal. They started out doing covers and medleys and two of the members even have their own group called Superfruit that I totally recommend checking out. Anyways, their second original album “The Lucky Ones” released in February and since I’m late to everything, here we are. Now I can rant and rave. I’m only going to talk about a few songs from the album but the tracks I am going to analyze relate particularly to the ways I’ve chosen to interpret them. But of course, music is supposed to relate to those in the ways it relates...to you. So maybe I’m completely off with the way I’ve chosen to listen to their lyrics but then again, maybe I’m not and these songs can help you clear your head when you need someone to speak to you about your mental health. Coffee in Bed. How could I start this list without looking at this song first? During rough mental health days, sometimes all we need is for someone to check in on us. Maybe a simple text letting someone know that you’re thinking of them, maybe asking someone how they’re doing–how you're really doing?– or maybe you just need to call and sit in silence to keep each other company. It’s the little things that count and this song really highlights that. From the perspective of a romantic relationship, I’m sure, this song says, “I know I'm gonna hold on to; When you get too in your head; I'll bring you coffee in bed.” Bye. How can I not be in love? It’s blatant mention of anxiety in the first line was something that really resonated with me and it made me think that all relationships–romantic or not–really should focus on trying to make sure your partner feels okay, even if it’s through the smallest thing. It shows that you care. Love Me When I Don’t. Of course, nothing like a little self doubt and insecurity. We all have them, we manage, but sometimes it can get a little out of control. It’s good to maintain negative thoughts for yourself, but it’s also nice to know that you have someone in your corner to pull you back when you start being a little too hard on yourself. Whether it’s your mom, your best friend, your pet, or your therapist, moral support is always important. The pandemic has made us feel so isolated and it can be hard to feel like you have anyone in your corner, especially when you can’t always see or be near them. However, this song really talks about what it’s like to have someone remind you not only are they there for you, but that you’re stronger than you think. And we’re all always stronger than we think. Granting ourselves grace always makes this process a little easier but a good support system is nice to have when your mind can be a little hard to leave. Support groups or group activities online or in-person can also help with this too. It doesn’t always have to be someone you know but social interaction is vital for mental health stability. Just know when it’s your time to reach out and when you need to self reflect. They are Lucky Ones. As the culmination of the album, and the song that holds the most meaning for the band themself, I thought this was the perfect song to use to talk about growth. I talked earlier about growth not being linear and when we’re learning how to live and live with our realities, it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, we always have to give ourselves the chance to look back and see how far we’ve come and give ourselves praise for all the hard work we’ve put into getting us this far. As for the baby steps that feel like it’s not getting us anywhere, it's not until we finally turn back and see that we went further than we thought just because we kept going. I loved how this song talked about that. The beginning of the song starts out portraying thoughts of running away, avoiding problems, and the survival skills we used to make you feel like you need to tuck and hide into yourself. But the you come out the other end and realize “oh.” It’s all easier at the end of the tunnel, we just have to get there first. Honorable mentions: Of course I can never stop at my optimal number. (I swear, if ya’ll ever have the honor to hear me talk in person…) *Be My Eyes– “I can get caught up on little things and missteps; You would build a ground beneath my feet; When I get lost, I'm out of my mind, too in my head; You're the camera to focus me.” It’s giving "Coffee in Bed" vibes. *Never Gonna Cry Again– I just love the way this song talks about the pressure to change yourself into someone you think you’re supposed to be because society or the internet or your family tells you “this” is who you're supposed to be. And this steady conflict of “who’s right?” is one I imagine we all can relate to at various points in our lives. *A Little Space–And we love a song that establishes boundaries, even between romantic partners. When things are moving too fast and you feel overwhelmed, communicating that you need a little space before things turn ugly? I can appreciate that. Even if in the end, it leads to heartache, at least I knew I established who I am from the beginning. I think the beauty about hearing an album that’s done by a group that has such a creative writing process as this one, is that we get to hear so many different voices and perspectives within the album. No two songs sound the same or even talk about the same thing. In an interview Kevin Olusola talks about how this album is a culmination of the five years the group spent together and I’m excited to finally hear how that’s evolved and grown into this–something beautiful, modern, and heartfelt–despite the years and changes they’ve been through. If you guys want to hear any more of my album analysis’, make sure to follow me on StudyBreaks website to read more. I have an article on Julia Michaels’ album “Not in Chronological Order” coming out soon so stay tuned! And remember, “your illness doesn't define you, your strength and courage does.” You're doing a great job where you are. Keep going. I'm proud of you. ❤️ Always with love, Arianna Heyy! I don’t know about you but I’m so excited for the summer. I’m up here where it’s still snowing. SNOW! In April? Egregious. Anyways, with my mind thinking of summer sun and outdoor activities I was inspired to ask about you guys summer plans. Of course, we have to be mindful of COVID safety so please be conscientious when you hang out with friends and family outside of your “bubble”. But either way, I hope summer 2021 will be as promising as we’re all willing it to be. On that note, I recently watched Maddie Dragsbaek’s video and I love her. I don’t know but I swear we could be friends in real life. I know people say this all the time but I really believe it. I don’t know what it is about the Leo/Pisces mix but we just work.
Maddie’s video basically gave tips on “how to be a hot girl” and I thought it was so great because it was about confidence and body positivity and how we all can be hot girls if we aren't already. I really needed to hear that at this time. So, make sure you guys go watch Maddie’s video but based off of that I wanted to give my own definition of “hot girl” but using the Euphoria cast! My friends got me hooked on the show last winter and we’re still all desperately waiting for season 2 to come out. Butn until then, I’m going to give the different types of hot girls based off of these lovely characters and by the end, you can determine which hot girl are you? Rue Rue is always main character energy. Duh. She’s our lowkey, lesbian queen and she doesn’t give a fuck what anybody thinks. But Rue is a hot girl because of her strong will and perseverance. Sure, she has her hard times and falls down. Sometimes she loses hope but she’s still here and she’s pushing through and making ways for herself to be a better and stronger person for herself. It’s going to take some time, growth and healing but if you feel like you’re channeling Ruth energy, and life is just beating you down, you’re a hot girl because you keep going. You’ve been through it, but you will make it to the end. With some positive and healthy support and self reflection, this summer is yours to claim just as you claim your personal growth and healing. Period! Jules Iconic queen! She is our real life Star Butterfly (from Star v. The Forces of Evil) in the best possible way. Sweet but a total badass and we stan. She’s a hot girl because of her free spirit and positivity. She does her best to look for the best in people and situations, even at the detriment to herself. She tries to be independent and live her life the way she wants, even when she sometimes falls into the wrong situations because of it. However, no one can fault her for trying to do the best for herself without guidance. If Jules is your soul sister this summer, let your free spirit carry you away this summer. Let yourself be open to new possibilities, friendships and relationships but make sure to check in with yourself and perhaps your therapist *wink wink* for some internal self reflection when you feel your hope leading you astray. No harm in keeping yourself guided along the way. Cassie Cassie is our tenderhearted angel. Her heart is so big that she can’t help but try to sweep others into her fray, even when she gets burned for getting too close to the edge. This summer, channel your inner Cassie and let people see the way you love so freely. Being vulnerable is never a bad thing, especially now when all we want to do is find ways to connect. Don’t shut yourself off from forming new relationships for fear of getting hurt. On that same note, protect your peace when you feel like your love is being exploited or taken from you at the expense of yourself. When that happens, protect that and turn that same big heart onto yourself. This summer could use all your love and sunshine. Katherine (Kat) Kat walked into school one day and reclaimed her power. As she motherfluffing should. And so should you, summer babes. If you’ve been feeling a little stifled this year because of the pandemic–social and literal isolation closing your off and making you feel closeted and insecure–use this summer to pull out those outfits, put on the makeup (you can always wash or buy your masks again) and just allow all that powerful energy to shine through. Summer is the perfect time to explore with your style and now is the time to show the world all the self growth you’ve done while trapped in home over quarantine. Pull out whatever makes you feel the most confident and step on their necks queens. All streams, no skips. Just make sure you remember who you are at the core and don't get too lost in this new self of yours. There’s still a person beneath all that power. Maddy Maddy is the baddest B on the block and she’ll make sure you never forget it. If you’re like Maddy, you’ve been waiting for the last six months to show the world what summer 2021 can do for you and don’t worry ma’am, now’s your time to shine. Just make sure not to trample over the other queens in your path. Reach out to your friends this summer, reconnect with people you’ve been missing and neglecting while at home raging about the unfairness of it all. And make sure you use this summer to focus on you. Hot girl summer is for you not anyone else (looking at you, Nate) to embrace that extroverted energy you’ve been forced to keep bottled up inside and we can’t wait to see it. So enjoy! We especially need our friends during this time. So who’s your hot girl for this summer? Are we letting our wild spirits roam free like Jules or releasing all that power we’ve been building up like Kat? No matter what happens, let’s be determined to channel all of our inner hot girl energy–whether we spend a majority of our time indoors or not. Being a hot girl is about confidence, it’s about kindness and it’s about knowing you are that bitch and nobody else can tell you any different. Anyone can be a hot girl (it's an identity, not one person), you just have to believe you are one and embody what a hot girl does––there really are no rules. So I’m declaring it! Summer 2021 is giving hot girl summer. And we’re all hot girls this year. Always with love, Arianna Hey guys, it’s been awhile since I’ve done a book update. (Lies. have ya’ll checked out my Instagram lately? Find more bookish content on there if you dare 😜) Anyways, this year so many booktubers are making the wise decision of breaking up their monthly reading wrap ups. So I thought instead of waiting until the end of the year to accumulate at least 60 books and give you all of my favorites I’ll give you my top five of the year so far. Follow me on Goodreads to keep track of my reading journey. I’ve been trying to do more reviews to help me remember what the heck I thought about the content I’ve been reading and it’s been fun. So without further ado let’s get into it! Office Hours by Katrina JacksonDon’t you love when you start your year off right? This was the first book I read in 2021 and I do not regret it. This book is about Deja and Alejandro who are professors and once a month they have to attend the Senate Meeting. Deja has always had a crush on Alejandro but she’s overworked, exhausted and doesn’t think Alejandro could ever feel the same. But of course he does. One steamy interaction later and they’re set on a steady trajectory towards romantic success and the perfect HEA (happily ever after). The main thing that I loved about this book was the conversation surrounding academics for WOC professors and what that looks like when working at a PWI. It was so refreshing to read especially as a student myself to help understand the different pressures these professors are under. Aside from that, Alejandro was a total king. He was super fine and mad luxurious when it came to doting on Deja. I liked how he had to learn how to be patient with her since she is a career driven woman (despite him being in the same profession himself). None of her struggles or stresses (or successes) fell to the wayside just because they got together, instead it became something they both were able to work on together. Plus I’m a sucker for work/study dates so it was cute seeing their work and personal life blend together. The romance was wonderfully developed because of this. And when I tell you Katrina Jackson knows how to write a damn good sexy scene? Whew chile. 🥵 I hope we get to see more of the side characters from this book in other books but I’m not sure but i’m holding out for it! Fingers crossed. Take a Hint Dani Brown by Talia HibbertI know, I know, Talia Hibbert is simply DOMINATING this year. At least for me. It’s a goal of mine to complete her entire backlist but first I need to get my damn hands on Act Your Age Eve Brown. That’s the third and final installment to her Brown sister trilogy. Anyways, Dani Brown is the eldest sister, the second book in the trilogy and so far, my favorite one. It’s about Dani and Zafir who have been friends for a few months because Dani is also a professor. (Maybe I’m following a trend here 😅) And Zafir is the security guard at the front desk to her building. They have great chemistry but Dani insists that she isn’t good at relationships and Zafir doesn’t even think she’s into him because he’s only seen her date her fellow professor who was a woman. Eventually Zafir finds out that Dani’s bi, and Dani finds out that Zafir is actually an ex rugby player which leads to them having to fake date after a video goes viral of Zafir carrying Dani out of the building. She got stuck in an elevator during a drill. It was so great. I loved this book because of course, the mental health representation. Zafir has anxiety and it’s something that we definitely see being handled throughout the book but isn’t the main tone for the story. The ways it’s integrated into the story makes it such a wonderful read. And Dani is the one who has to learn how to adapt because she wants to be with Zafir but relationships take work so I love the constant self reflection and work that she puts into them being together. Dani is a really busy woman but Zafir is patient and understands that so it’s lovely when they finally get together. I highly recommend listening to this book on audio because the accent goes so crazy and it’s such a fun thing to listen to. (I know, 2021 and suddenly I listen to audiobooks. Who IS she?) One Hot Italian Summer by Karina Halle This was the perfect summer read for my winter season and now I want to go back to Italy. I fell in love with Karina Halle in a day and honestly I didn’t think I would since book covers can be so deceiving sometimes. I mean I love a good hot guy on the cover as much as the next person but I thought the book would read as young adult and boy was I wrong. Grace is grieving the death of her writing partner and so her agent sends her to her villa in Italy to hopefully clear her head and find some inspiration. Instead she finds a man and his cute ass kid and it all goes uphill from there. I love that Grace is a writer–being that I’m one myself–and I love that Claudio is a sculptor. Ugh, when two artists unite you know sparks are bound to fly. The writing in this book was so beautiful. The descriptions of the city were so well done you felt like you were there, and I loved the way we see Grace bloom into herself as a writer and as a woman. It was oddly something I could relate to very intimately so I thought it was amazing. Plus, we love a man who knows what he wants and Claudio wanted Grace. Eventually he turned her over to his side. 😉 The Naughty List by Ellie Mae McGregor Novella of the year anyone? I can’t say for sure quite yet but this one definitely took the cake so far. First of all, it feels like Christmas in April because I’d been hearing so much about this book and only took a chance on it now because I was curious. But I was worried because... santa? I wasn’t trying to ruin my childhood you know. But this was so fucking fun. What else can I say except sexy santa and a single mom have some wonderful times between the sheets for 56 epic pages. I definitely wanted more, I need more but this is a debut so all I can is, read it and hopefully McGregor will put out more books just like this. The Beast by Katee RobertOkay, soooo I've been reading erotica recently and honestly, I’ve been missing out. Katee Robert might be my favorite erotica novelist so far and her Wicked Villians series has been the most fun to read when following this genre. It’s a Beauty and the Beast retelling featuring Gaeton, Beast and of course Isabelle. It’s such a fun ride. I haven’t even finished it yet so depending on when I post this we’ll see if I would have by then (I have 4 chapters left!) but so far this is my favorite one from the series. Gaeton is the one who’s larger than life in actual size but Beast is the one in control in personality and Belle is already a princess (and knows how to act like one). It’s a polyamorous relationship and the dynamic between all three characters is so different–I’m excited to see Beast and Geaton grow out of their hate for each other and have it turn into love. And I’m excited to see the way the throuple grows from the past hurt they’ve caused each other in order to come back together. They also have to unite in order to stop a coup from happening since Belle’s father died and now her territory is being challenged for power. It’s alluding to a war with the villain in the next story so I’m excited for all of this to come to a crux in the end. And that’s a wrap! I hope you all enjoyed this list. I had fun making it especially because it was so much easier to pick from the books I’ve read in the past three months opposed to having to narrow it all down out of 12. And ya’ll know I like to ramble so this works out perfectly. I might have more of these lists coming soon, maybe every three months if my reading schedule goes well but I’ve honestly been reading “okay” books recently. Either way, don’t forget to follow me on all my social medias, stay safe and as always:
With love, Arianna Today marks the one year anniversary of Daniel Prude’s murder by the Rochester Police Department. As of February 16, 2020 New York attorney general, Letitia James ruled that none of the officers would be charged with the crime. And a grand jury declined to investigate the case to charge any of the seven of the officers on the scene on the night of the crime.
It’s a hard thing to grapple with, that the lives of our slain brothers and sisters are continuously being treated as inconsequential and we feel as if our voices, our selves are not valued in the eyes of the system, in the eyes of the law, and in the eyes of society. I constantly have to remind myself that yes I am tired, of trying to tell people how to care–that you should fucking care. Yes, I’m am frustrated beyond the point of comprehension: questions of “why is this happening” and “how can this be allowed to be perpetuated and sustained” constantly reprogram my thinking when I know it’s “because they can”, “because they just don’t care” and “because it doesn’t affect them.” It’s battling with these thoughts of being Black but also being American and understanding how the system wasn’t created for people like me and abolition and change take decades and I may not even see the world come to fruition from the hard work so many have put in before me and many will put in after me in order to create something better. It’s sitting with that reality of learning how to exist with so much fear, and anger, and grief swirling within so many close to me. It’s sitting through classes and working through generational trauma through theory work that help me begin to unpack, relearn, push forward and to grow within myself and my community. But it makes me realize that I am not just fighting for myself, my family and my friends, but for the future; for those who have already lost so much, for those who are just seeing us and hearing us for the first time, for those who are scared and those who are wanting to stand up but don’t know how. This fight is bigger than myself but at the same time, my personal reasons for being here are constantly being reflected through the lives of others, and through the ways I present myself to be as one voice among many pushing things forward. And it can take a toll. But today, we commemorate a man who was slaughtered and in doing so, Free the People Rochester have made this a day that we strike in Rochester and stand in solidarity with Mr. Prude’s family. Join later tonight as we also celebrate a man who was taken from us too soon at 5pm - Celebration of Life at 72 Child St. 1/30/2021 0 Comments Let's talk about therapy baby!Welcome back to INTUITIVE MINDS NYC where we’re finally FINALLY talking about the things this title pertains to. So I can’t wait to get into this list of tips with you but know that I only speak from personal experience. Nor am I encouraging or attempting to discourage anyone to try it if they don’t feel it's right for them or not within their means to seek it out. Though I will say, if it can be an option for you, it worked well for me and it might be worth looking into if you’re interested. So stay tuned for tips, stories and opinions as you follow through another part of my mental health journey. *hand smiling emoji* My ExperienceLooking back at the year that was 2020I'm not surprised that my mental health took a certain nosedive because there was so much shit going on. But to everyone who struggled and made it through, I’m so proud of you--of us--because we literally were put to the test and made it out alive. And for everyone still struggling with their mental health I’m sorry and I’m here for you and this community is here for you and supports you through your journey. But I think the one thing I had to learn starting January, peaking in March and breaking down in July, was that mental health is and always will be a journey. Anxiety and depression are things I’m probably going to live with for the rest of my life and all the time things aren’t going to be happy. All the time things also aren’t going to be complete shit and when things do hit the fan that doesn’t mean that I’ve failed, it just means that I'm going through a particularly hard time in life. And that happens, to everyone. I needed to learn how not to define myself by my mental health struggles and the illness itself as who I am. I am not an anxious person, I am simply someone who suffers from anxiety from time to time. Nor does that excuse poor behavior when it comes to taking care of myself and the ways I needed to learn how to exist in the world again. But I think I'm getting ahead of myself here. What I mainly learned was that I can’t do everything on my own. I needed help, so before I even reached out to a therapist, I reached out to a friend of mine who really helped me through such a hard time. (I love you Andre! *kisses*) More than anything, you need to identify yourself with a support system. Someone you can turn to and talk to and just cry and vent to. Or someone who can just be there if all you feel is nothing in the moment. So after reaching out to him and a few other close friends of mine, I was directed to a list of resources that I’ll share with you guys down below. It listed options for therapy sites as well as Instagram accounts that allowed me to feel better about my feed--as well as hotlines to help coax you down if you don’t feel as if you have the support system in your personal life to talk to about these things. zencare.coThe resource list listed Zencare.co as the online therapy site where I could vet therapists according to location, insurance and finances. Though I know there are other places such as Betterhelp that offer similar resources in terms of searching for help (though I think Betterhelp is a little more expensive). Many people were doing discounted rates during the time of March and July which is when I was referred to them so I ended up paying out of pocket for someone near my location and started the princess for interviewing. The one thing that made me go with Zencare instead of Betterhelp is that they pair you with a therapist based off of a series of questions that you answer. They still ask for your preferences and the type of care you think you might need but you don’t decide in the end who you’re paired with. Granted, you can switch therapists as often as you want but that was a process I didn’t want to go through at the time. I personally thought Zencare gave me more freedom. interviewingI think the one thing I had to learn was that vetting a therapist is just like anything. You want someone who can give you the best care, that can tailor most specifically to your needs and simply put, you can connect with. It’s like orientation day where you’re introducing yourself and making all of these connections but only a few of them become your friends. And in a way you want your therapist to be someone you can talk with and feel comfortable sharing your issues with. Now I know there is the stigma for mental health for POC who frequently feel their needs being misheard or misunderstood because there are rarely people that look like us in these fields. I will say that I did end up looking for someone who looked like me but it also depends on your level of comfortability on whether or not you can speak with a white woman about your black upbringing. There’s a difference and there will always be a level of uncertainty about how honest you can truly be with this person. Though, both of these sites give you the option to tailor your therapist to your needs and if you can’t find someone you’re comfortable with, then you keep trying until you do. It can be a draining process but it’s necessary. I went through a few phone interviews before settling on my person. And I became used to some of the questions that were being asked and began to expect what would be expected of me in therapy and what I should look for when I was speaking with this person. 1. Do the questions and answers flow? (Does it feel natural to talk and hold a conversation with them? Awkward pauses are natural, especially if you’re nervous but is the therapist able to engage you and keep you talking? Do you feel like they truly understand what you’re talking about when you speak to them?) 2. What are you coming to therapy for? 3. What are experiencing--feelings, physical sensations 4. What do you hope to accomplish in therapy--personal goals, mental goals: ex. ways to manage, solution to problems 5. Have you been in therapy before? If so, what did you explore with your last therapist? 6. What are you looking for in a therapist? These are just to name a few, but the main thing to do is to make sure you ask all of your questions. Things like: do you take my insurance, how often a week will we be meeting, how do you handle patients like me specifically (ex. 19 year old in college with x problems), what do your therapy techniques look like? You want to be able to truly gage if you would be a good fit for their service and if they would be able to do the same for you. Ask for clarification on things they say that you may not understand. Therapists have their own kind of language and you want to be able to understand what they’re talking about if you don’t already. Words like [blank] might come up based on the type of therapy and therapist you’re looking at. Make sure you ask what that means and how that pertains to them being able to treat you. It’s important to walk away from the conversation with enough information so that you can make a decision but it all boils down to the way you feel. If you’re comfortable with this person and can financially afford them, take the risk and always ask about their cancellation process. For the most part you can cancel therapy at any time free of charge (as long as you tell them in advance so they stop charging you) and you can switch if you find that they’re not the perfect match for you. The initial interview call usually lasts for 15 minutes and is free of charge as well which is something to note. Maybe schedule them throughout the week and then look at your notes for each person to see who you want to give the callback. But it’s also understanding to feel drained by the end of this process as well. Forcing yourself to talk about your mental health struggles can be draining so take the time to reflect on what it is that you need and what you’re feeling apart from the interview itself. CostsSince I’ve only gone through Zencare I’m more familiar with their financial process but I’ll try to link both options below. Zencare has a sliding scale option which I loved because it’s a way to allow people who don’t have insurance or are low income to be able to find ways to afford therapy. (Cuz we all know that shit can be expensive) and while I know the pandemic during its peak was a specific time, the sliding sale is still in place. It allowed me to pay out of pocket and to have me be financially responsible for my care--which can be really helpful for those who don’t want their caretakers to know that they’re going to therapy if it’s something you’d rather keep to yourself. It enabled me to pay out of pocket but it’s always something you should talk and ask about with the therapist you intend to work with just to see if you can have the prices lowered. They usually have a number there but negotiation can go a long way, especially if you can explain a little bit of your financial situation. People are more likely to be flexible during these times, especially if you’re college aged. Though there’s also an option to have financial aid which gave me a discount when I signed up for Betterhelp which also has a mixture of sliding scale options and insurance supported options. Though the one thing to note is that therapy is rarely covered by insurance and as discouraging as that can be, it’s also something to plan when looking at your options. If you'd have insurance, see how much of your care would be covered, and if the sliding scale option works out better for you financially and personally then go with that instead. I had to put in certain information but nothing that went through my school or required tax information when it came to the financial aid for Betterhelp though. “To continue, to continue, that is what is necessary”- Van GoghAnd that’s it for part one! I hope you guys enjoyed. Hopefully this can be a little bit useful for anyone who’s curious or unsure about therapy. I just want to say that I am no expert or professional, I’m figuring all of this stuff out just the same way you are. But Ilearned that we’re all just a little bit more resilient than we give ourselves credit for, therapy doesn’t always have to be for emergencies--it can be a way to simply check in with yourself. And it’s not always unattainable for POC as long as we know that we have options out there. The part 2 of this series will be giving alternative options to traditional therapy because I know it still can’t be an option for everyone. Either way, be kind to yourself and one another. The greatest investment we can ever make in this world will be in ourselves.
Wishing you all peace of mind and heart! With love, Arianna Hi guys! I don’t want to make this intro too long but I hope your Holidays went well and I hope you can look forward to 2021 with as much hopefulness as you can muster. But I’m wishing you all good grades, good food and lots of rest. But if nothing else, I’m wishing you a great book year because despite everything else going on in 2020, this has been my best book year in a long time. If the trend hasn’t already exposed itself, quarantine was the time for new hobbies, YouTube channels, depression and a whole lot of boredom. So, with the help of a few friends I’m happy to say that I got back into reading. I used to read so much when I was younger, and my shelves are still filled to the brim with my YA and middle grade books. Every other thing I own that’s not clothes, are books and they sit in boxes. But I digress. Moral of the story, high school was where things started to taper off. Maybe I could read 5 books a year, but nothing I would say was conscious effort or had sustaining value (except for ACOTAR. ACOTAR forever). Though, as soon as I got to college, all reading stopped. So I created a book goal of 20 books by the end of 2020 and I am so happy to say that not only did I reach my goal but as of December 26, I have officially read 61 books this year…no rereads. And not to toot my own horn but I think that’s fucking amazing. However, I didn’t want to give you guys a top 20 list (because I’m not sure if I have enough for 20 or if I have too many) but I will give a shout out to the glorious Penny Reid because she really got this ball and chain reading train rolling. (That was a weird analogy but I am going with it). So, I’m here with my top 10 books from this year with possibly a few honorable mentions. I’m so excited to share them with you, so let’s get into it! [Insert meme here]. Book 1I’m not going to lie to you and perhaps this might be cheating but I’ve read two series this year. A part of me wants to just put PENNY REID and then list all the books within those two series that I loved and rated five stars but I’ll only list one and perhaps later on, you’ll find an honorable mention or two of hers. *hint hint* So this book award goes to…[drumroll please] LOVE HACKED (KNITTING IN THE CITY #3) BY PENNY REID Rating: 3.5 Blurb: This book is about Sandra and Alex and how Sandra has a hard time dating because she’s always trying to psychoanalyze her dates. Always. She is a psychologist after all but after a chance encounter with a slightly jaded and moody waitress she has to learn how to cope with falling for someone who isn’t interested in her “helpful” insight after all. Thoughts: Oh my gosh I LOVED this book. And even though the rating is a little low (I’m a picky reader lol) There were two things that allowed this book to make my ‘favorites list’ this year: 1. The breakdown of the female ’Savior’ trope and 2. Bitcoin. Now the trope name is definitely something I just made up but the way Penny Reid literally and realistically broke down the way romance novels have one of the main character’s saving the other was amazing. Usually when it involves a damaged hero, the woman comes along and in one way or another emotionally “saves” him so that he can be a better person for her and they live happily ever after. Which is fine but Alex is who he is: grumpy, moody, with a trauma ridden past and he’s functional that way. He handles his personal issues the way he handles them and he’s learned how to cope with them. He doesn’t need Sandra to save him (as much as she wants to) he just wants to love her and I thought that was amazing. And the fact that Sandra is a psychologist makes the breakdown of the trope all that more realistic which I thoroughly enjoyed. 2. They talk about bitcoin, I learned about bitcoin, bitcoin is VERY cool and I loved learning a little piece of real life knowledge so that was awesome. I guess you might be wondering why I didn’t rate the book higher and I don’t know. My initial argument is that I didn’t feel that connected to the characters but I think this is one of those books I have to reread again. I definitely loved the larger aspects of the story so maybe once I go through it for the second time I can rate it higher. Until then, don’t let my rating intimidate you from not reading this book. It can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the entire series. It’s amazing. Book 2So I had an amazing Christmas, and this is not to brag but simply to state that all I got this Christmas were books. I swear my mother watched the smile split my face open and had to laugh. We even got it on video but that’s private sooo y’all can’t see that. Point is, when I talk about this book, remember that recently it was added to the stack I got for Christmas and picture an ear splitting smile that’s slightly creepy and delirious from lack of sleep and me in my polka dotted pajama bottoms. Thanks. KULTI BY MARIANA ZAPATA Rating: 5 Blurb: Twenty-seven year old Sal Casillas is a professional soccer player and when her once idol becomes her new soccer coach she has to deal with the fact that he’s not as perfect as she thought him to be…but that doesn’t stop her from falling in love. Thoughts: Oh my goodness, this woman (Zapata) destroyed my soul this year. If you’re looking for a slow burn, just read this book or any of her books really. 561 pages of pure genius and honestly, all I’m going to do is link my Goodreads review here and add onto the thoughts I didn’t think would make my Goodreads review shorter than it already should have been. Basically, Sal and Kulti’s story was such an appropriate relationship for the age gap they were sporting. Another book that didn’t have the heroine rushing in to save or change the hero from his poor temperament and bad manners, nor did she tolerate his shit. In the end it felt like an old married couple loving each other and it was so amazing. Zapata also does such an amazing job at describing and highlighting professional sports life which I loved. ‘From Lukov, With Love’ is next on my list and it’s an ice skating romance so I’m excited about that but back to Sal and Kulti. I loved the family dynamics in this book: the supportive father, the complicated sibling relationships, found family with friends. Everything was so beautifully developed and it never felt dragged or too overdone. Instead it added to the realness in the way love to hate relationships might develop in real time. And I appreciated these moments where we got to learn more about the characters as people: their quirks and day to day likes/dislikes. There was no need for some big backstory to give us a picture for “who the characters are” because we got to discover it for ourselves and I really appreciated that journey. So don’t let the page number intimidate you, it’s definitely a 10/10 read. Book 3I was gifted this by my best friend so this book will definitely hold special meaning for me when I finally put it on my shelf (once I finally rebuild my bookshelf). But in an effort to read more indie and diverse books I was so happy that I stumbled upon Weatherspoon’s Loose Ends series because I immediately fell in love. So this intro is basically to say read more diversely in all aspects: race, religion, gender, sex so that we can accept more widely. But also to support indie authors who are typically more diverse in these spaces. XENI BY REBEKAH WEATHERSPOON Rating: 5 Blurb: Xeni Everly-Wilkins just wants to claim her inheritance from her recently deceased aunt Sable, instead she’s caught in the middle of a feud war between her mother and her mother’s sisters, and a will specifically stating that in order to claim her inheritance she has to marry complete stranger, Mason McInroy. Xeni realizes she may have gotten more than she bargained for… and it might not turn out to be entirely a bad thing. Thoughts: First of all, what a fucking name. Xeni Everly-Wilkins? Freaking gorgeous. Second of all, he’s freaking SCOTTISH? You bet your ass I googled Scottish accents just so I could read Mason’s voice in one. Also my guy plays the bagpipes and wore a kilt. Like where can I find me one? I’ll place my eBay order tonight. Anyways, there were so many other aspects of this book that I loved so I’m going to try to keep this brief. The biggest thing for me again was the family aspect in this one: it was all the real, the raw and the witty aspects of dealing with the death of a close loved one as well as what it means to have people that support you and to lean on during this tough time. The sexual tension was also off the charts between these two which was fucking A. Basically it described how two lonely people who could have gone through this period of mourning feeling even more alone, learn how to turn to each other. And in light of that, a beautiful relationship developed. Xeni also comes from a musically famous family and so the music aspects were perfect: not too heavy that it overwhelmed the story but just enough to break up the narrative and provide characterization for Sable Everly who left her spirit lingering and her legacy to influence those she left behind. Quote from Goodreads: “This is a stand alone romance. It features a woman sick to death of her family shit and a plus-size Scotsman who just wants to make sweet, sweet music. And love.” It doesn’t get any better than that, now does it? Book 4I think this is the first novella that I’ve read as a standalone, and I loved it. It’s also the first book I read by Rebekah Weatherspoon. I read this on my floor and accidentally bought it on kindle (which if you guys know, I don’t reread books online if I can physically own them) soo I did a thing but I’m not mad at it. This was worth the back ache and five dollars. Even though this also made me realize that I like novels more. TREASURE BY REBEKAH WEATHERSPOON Rating: 4 Blurb: At her sister’s bachelorette party Alexis Chambers is the last person who wants to be there. Former popular athlete and violinist turned loner the last thing on her mind is love until she meets the beautiful stripper at the party who calls herself Treasure…who’s also in her computer science class. Trisha Hamilton doesn’t have time for love but she’s drawn to the girl from the club a few nights ago. What choice do they have to do except fall in love? Thoughts: I did a poll on Instagram asking between the two books which one did you guys think I liked best, and honestly I didn’t know for myself until after I had finished Xeni. Trisha and Alexis are really such an adorable couple but the one thing I loved was the sex work positivity representation in this book. Trisha and Alexis’ relationship developed quite beautifully despite the length of the book and overcame a few subplots that I thought were great such as mental health and complicated family relationships. I also liked that Trisha didn’t go out of her way to have to explain her job and anyone who tried to talk down to her was easily put in their place which I appreciated. It was an opposites attract romance and two black women in love is more than enough for me to say it was a great read. So the result of that poll was Xeni but for quality content, both are a gold star from me. Book 5Christina C. Jones just released a new book called ‘Me+Somebody’s Son: A Heights Story’ which is a novella (and totally contradictory to my dislike towards novellas) but I can’t not want to read this one. As you’ll see from this review, Christiana C Jones is fucking hilarious. I guess that’s why I love her so much, because great minds read alike. (Write alike?) I dunno. I tried. GETTING SCHOOLED BY CHRISTINA C. JONES Rating: 4.5 Blurb: Reece is a grad assistant and has no interest in dating one of her mother’s students. They’re way too young for her anyway except a rude chance encounter proves her wrong. At least on the age front, the guy still was very much rude and so she has no interest in dating him. But perhaps he has other ideas for how he wants the rest of this school year to go for the both of them. Thoughts: When I tell you I laughed out loud while reading this book, I’m pretty sure my suitemates did not enjoy hearing me through the walls, cackling to myself at two in the morning. But alas, Christiana C. Jones has a gift. For one, I love me a good war hero. They call to my long bloodline of those who served but aside from that, these two were just plain fun. The way they flirted and it’s the way she fell in love with his writing. Ugh, imagine? The plot line was followed through fairly easy so I loved that this was the book that got me into this author because even though I’m always one for a few good plot twists, I'm glad that the subplots didn’t derail too from the story. They definitely both had a heavy past and have to come to terms with that individually as well as for themselves and I think it was the lack of development in that backstory that allowed me to dock the .5 stars but honestly I just loved the story for the banter. Highly recommend. BOOK 6I finally got into historical romances! Ever since I started watching Jess from peacelovesbooksxo I’ve been dying to get into historical romances but I didn’t know where to start. Well Tessa Dare was clearly the most obvious choice and lucky for me, we found a winner. SAY YES TO THE MARQUESS BY TESSA DARE Rating: 4 (according to Goodreads) Blurb: Clio has been engaged to be married…for eight years. And now that her fiancé is about to come home, Clio wants to break it off. She’s tired of being the woman “to be wed” and not the one already married. But Rafe, Clio’s betrothed, is determined to keep Clio from breaking things off so he offers to plan her wedding. And of course they end up falling in love instead. Thoughts: As I was looking at my ratings for these books I was trying to decide why I chose this book over the other Tessa Dare book that I loved and rated higher but I remember it’s because Rafe is a freaking gem. His name also rhymes with his title: Rake. (Which means dangerous, single, bad boy in historical romance terms). And you know how much I’m a sucker for those. I’m also a sucker for great banter and the scenes between these two were iconic. There was a cake tasting scene and a stolen kiss that really was fantastique. Not to mention, I did not see that Happily Ever After (HEA) coming at all and I LOVED IT. I can usually predict the endings, I mean romance books typically have the same formula but it’s always the way things are executed that add to the momentum of the scene. And this one was creative so gold stars for that one. And as much as I love family dynamics and good side characters in my books, Clio has great friends though they are not the main stars of this book and somehow it still worked for me being that a lot of the story focused on just these two. Overall, It was so great and now I’m forever a changed woman. Send all the historical romances my way babyy. BOOK 7Honestly I had another book on this list that I really wanted to talk about but I already have a review of that entire trilogy so I’ll link that blog post here and just move on to talk about another Penny Reid book (from her second series!) instead. BEARD IN MIND (WINSTON BROTHERS #4) BY PENNY REID Rating: 5 Blurb: Shelly Sullivan has a chip on her shoulder. Like a mean, snarky, not even nice to customers kind of chip on her shoulder. And Beau is the nicest most charismatic guy in town. Except, when he talks to Shelly. How can this gorgeous mechanic who knows so much about cars (enough to tell him when he’s doing his job wrong) and owns a parrot that only speaks in cuss words draw him in? He wants Shelly gone except…not really. Not once he gets to know her, the real her, and she gets to know him. Thoughts: It’s the way I was screaming about this book on my Goodreads…and I only wrote five freaking lines as a review. Don’t I know I have to rely on my own trash memory for future blog posts? Smh. Anyways, I know why I loved this book more than anything in the series and it was because this book talked about OCD representation and depicted that relationship between mental illness and being involved with a partner so beautifully. This book talked about positive clients and therapist relationships so beautifully. And this book featured freaking Shelly who I can’t say much about in terms of her relations to other characters because it spoils some of the other books in the other series but it was also done, beautifully. So please read it. It was so amazing and the relationship was so real and the formula for what you would call a “romance” was somewhat unconventional and that’s what made it amazing as well. I also loved how Beau’s character was allowed to have so many layers of his personality be pulled back. For being such a ‘charmer’, Reid discussed how that takes a toll on him emotionally and explored something that’s not typically discussed when characters are being described as “charming”. It was absolutely perfect. I also think it’s an own voice story which is fire so I highly recommend. Beau was always my favorite twin anyway, if we’re comparing. Sorry Duane. [read the damn series’ guys. I can’t stop talking about Penny Reid]. BOOK 8Okay so if you were here last year and were able to see my 20 books for 2020 book goals list you might be expecting to see some of the books from that list on here. Or at least an update from it and honestly, it’s not that all of the books on that list were bad I just…didn’t get through the entire list. Covid hit and suddenly I wasn’t interested in all the titles anymore so here we are BUT I did read most of the books and one of them on that list was a success. BIRTHDAY GIRL BY PENELOPE DOUGLAS Rating: 4 Blurb: Jordan isn’t just unavailable, she’s off-limits. I mean, when the man she’s lusting after isn’t her boyfriend but rather her boyfriend’s father, I’d say that makes things more than a little complicated. But at the same time, he’s sweet, and generous, and likes the same music she does…Pike knows better than to fall for the young girl living under his roof but she stirs something within him he just can’t turn away. What happens when they both give in? Thoughts: I remember I was so hesitant to read this book! I’m always here for a little scandal but I thought the least of my worries would be the age gap. Well, Penelope Douglas has turned me taboo cuz I’m here for all the action. This was so good. I loved the way the couple fell in love with each other for the things that they liked about each other, the things that they shared in likes and interests with each other. I also loved the angst and tension between the two as Jordan was navigating her relationship and her new attraction. I think I loved the way Pike’s relationship with his son played out the most though. There was no loss of loyalty or love or concern for his son even as he was falling for Jordan. He always kept that relationship in mind even as he and Jordan started to become more involved. I don’t know if I can jump straight into Douglas’ bully romances just yet but this book is definitely my favorite of her’s so far. BOOK 9I haven’t been reading or writing as much poetry this year as I have before but I did find time to completely devour this book. And I must say, as soon as I can get to book two I’ll let you know what I think. I didn’t think I'd love it as much as I do, but I only read modern poetry and there’s a reason this book has high praise. MILK AND HONEY BY RUPI KAUR Rating: 5 Blurb: Split into four chapters, this compelling compilation of poems flows as a story of a lifetime. Depicting stories of violence, abuse, love, loss, and femininity Rupi Kaur tells us a journey about life. Thoughts: I wish I could give you lines from all of my favorite poems but maybe I’ll only give you a few. It was raw and ironic and soulful. The drawings were so simplistic, and along with the writing it made you feel like you were following her train of thought as you were reading. ‘The idea of shrinking is hereditary’, ‘women of color’ and ‘to fathers with daughters’ were some of my favorite poems. Not all of the poems have names but I think the main thing that I loved about this book was that I didn’t feel like I needed to start and then stop the book to read. (Which is the main reason why I haven’t finished another poetry book that I own). I was able to read it in one sitting because they all just added to the narrative and it was amazing. loving you was breathing but the breath disappearing before it filled my lungs -when it goes too soon BOOK 10We shouldn't be surprised that Colleen Hoover is on this list. She’s literally my favorite author so when the third and final book to her duet (there’s also a novella) came out I nearly died. Basically, it’s fitting that she’s number ten on this list. MAYBE NOW BY COLLEEN HOOVER Rating: 4 Blurb: A continuation of the musical story with Sydney and Ridge, featuring Maggie and a superfly doctor, Warren and his crude remarks and Bridgette and her only occasionally bad attitude. Oh and a happily ever after, of course. Thoughts: Honestly, I loved this series and this book. I only rated it a four stars because I felt that the story wrapped up too quickly but it was soo beautiful to watch; Sydney and Ridge learn how to grow together in their relationship outside of the guilt and the deceit. How Ridge and Maggie found new ways to be friends and how everyone learned new dynamics of being a family after everything that had happened with them. We get to see more music writing and work with the band which I loved. But by far my favorite part would have to be Jake because man, if I’ve ever seen a mature and freeing relationship…. It’s the way Hoover knows how to write such beautiful characters. And to be able to feature two couples in a book and truly showcase their different dynamics and how that plays on the well roundedness of their personalities was amazing to read. Plus I loved having Maggie’s point of view for this book because I was really curious to see how she was going to move on after everything in the last book. Hoover didn’t end Maybe Someday on this epic cliffhanger either which is why I was surprised when this came out but after my glimpse at the Wattpad chapters I just knew I had to get this book. And here it is! Read Maybe Someday first, you won’t regret it. Now, this year’s honorable mentions are: Beard in Waiting (Winston Brothers #3.5) by Penny Reid 5 stars A novella Best 11 pages I’ve ever read. Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon 4 stars First book in the Loose Ends series. Can be read as a standalone before Xeni and it features a male nanny. *Heart eyes.* Wait for it by Mariana Zapata 4 stars Also features kids and a kid’s coach who’s a little hostile but we stan the relationship development and a single mom. Get a life Chloe brown by Talia Hibbert 4 stars Everyone and their momma has been raving about this damn book and I’m one of those people. She has a chronic illness and she wants to learn how to better live her life with the help of a sexy landlord who owns a motorcycle and has tattoos. I thought the climax was a little cliche but it was well written. And they’re in Britain! I loved the representation in this book. The last letter by Rebecca Yarros 4 stars I was surprised by how much I loved this book. It was hauntingly beautiful. About a mom who writes to her brother’s best friend during war. Then something happens and the best friend is the one taking care of her. We can pretty much garner what happens next but the evolution of the story and their relationship all the while dealing with grief and trauma…beautiful. New Camelot Trilogy by Sierra Simon Average rating: 4 stars I'm surprised by how much I loved this series. It had so many elements that I enjoyed. It’s scanty though but this book has some exciting sex scenes, heart aching romance, and a new modern tale that I didn’t even realize was based on King Author until I looked at the title two books in. Moral of the story, a pretty great read. (It’s a trilogy featuring American Queen, American Prince and American King). And that’s it for this section of (Books that I loved but…) Hope you all enjoyed! takeaway notesThe one thing I loved about my reading journey this year was, I was learning how to fall in love with stories again. There have been so many conversations surrounding the ratings on Goodreads but I loved the experience I got from completing a book and being able to document that feeling and rate that experience. But aside from that, I learned that a great or even favorite book doesn’t always have to be a five star. It might be books that you know one day you’ll reread again because you feel like you can learn more from it or maybe it’s a book that taught you a lesson that you couldn’t have learned somewhere else, even if you didn’t love all aspects of the story. And I think if we’re trying to be insightful on 2020 as a whole, it can help to look back on it as being a year that was a 3 or even a 3.5 rating. It wasn’t a great year, for some it may not have even been a good year, but did it teach you something? Did you come out of it as a different person? What can you still take away from this year that can possibly help you cling onto the things that helped you survive through it? I didn’t want to do a new year’s resolution of goals list this year because I feel like it can be a little daunting given the circumstances—it’s hard to plan for the unexpected—but maybe if we just start small, with new books goals, then it will help push us into our next chapters for 2021.
So, Happy New Year! With love, Arianna Taylor Also make sure to follow me on my Instagram! I’m trying to post more bookish and writing related content on there and it should be a fun time. And here’s a link to Jess’s video to help you keep a lookout for 2021’s Most Anticipated Indie Releases. So, enjoy! 11/13/2020 0 Comments I invested in a new friendIt's been awhile since I've done a life update, hasn't it? Whew, we have a lot to catch up on so let's just jump right into it. How are ya'll though? I hope life is doing a little better since quarantine.
What am I up to? For one, I'm back at school. If you guys follow me on Instagram (you totally should, I think I'm finally figuring out my *aesthetic*) you guys probably already know this by now. But I love being back here! I live in a suite with some of my closest friends and it's been a good time (completely COVID safe environment since most of my friends live with me). But I'm looking forward to going home for the holidays. I've also started a new internship! I'm a media content writer at online magazine, StudyBreaks, which is very cool. I have an editor who's such a queen and I work directly with the CEO which make things so personal. I also have a writing group who gives me feedback and they're so nice. It's such a vibe! But I've loved writing professionally for someone and it's definitely given me a chance to think things through about where I want to take my writing career. I think I've talked about it a little on here about my thoughts for future jobs but honestly, I don't know. And with the state of the world, who the hell would? Either way though, I'm loving the experience so far. I'm also taking in media so much differently now which is an interesting experience so I can't wait to try new writing styles and reach different audiences with different content. So definitely follow my work on there. I have my LinkTree up on my blog account so you can follow all my articles there. Let me know in the comments what you think! What does dating during COVID look like? I've never talked about dating on my blog and I probably won't for a long time after this but I peeked into the online dating world for a brief moment and oh my gosh, it's horrid! Haha. This isn't an advice post so I don't meant to be negative but my honest experience was just...a mess. There are no deep, juicy secrets to tell. For the most part I think I was mainly disinterested because of the amount of work I had to put in just to maintain a simple conversation (which clearly tells me I'm not ready to date) but also, I think I was just on the wrong site. I'm not opposed to it in the future, especially with COVID because it seems safer on all aspects when having a conversation with someone. That way if things get creepy I can just stop talking to them instead of having to worry about a bad date experience, but I can only speak on my experience from the talking stage. But I did come away with some thoughts. For one, "the talking stage" fucking sucks. Like come on, what does that even mean? And why does it have to be a stage? There's the talking stage, and then the dating stage, and then you're in a relationship and when you put it like that there just seems like so many steps and rules that are just unnecessary. If we're "talking" I'm assuming that everything else will follow and the intent is to end up in a relationship (in certain environments of course). But as much as I think I knew about the subvert rules to each stage, to have them re-explained and emphasized to me because "I can't text this because it actually means this" or "I can't type back too fast because that's too eager"...is a lot. I'm a straightforward gal so I think when I finally commit to dating, I'll waste less of my time worrying about the finer rules of what you should and shouldn't do and just put myself out there to see who can handle the initial hurdle. It seems like an easier way to rule out the guys who aren't committed to the kind of stages I'm into. Sitting In the BIG CHAIR isn't as daunting as it seems (now that I'm seasoned). I started therapy! Guys, I just have to say this again, it's necessary, it's worth it and it's amazing. I paid for an outside therapist back in late July, early August during the last few weeks of quarantine but since coming back to school I've switched to one here and it's been life changing. I don't want to say it's going to always be amazing and you're going to feel like it's perfect from the very first try but I definitely went through my fair share of research and therapists and groups in order to find my right fit. I might write a post giving a few tips on what's worked for me and how to find your right fit but let me know if you guys would be interested in that. However, I will say I don't regret starting this journey as nerve wracking and uncertain I was about doing so. And if you're on a college campus or if your school offers the services remotely, please take advantage because it truly can ease some of the tension in your life (or at least help you feel like you're not alone). And if you have even a little bit of money saved, it's worth the cost to invest in your mental health. Trust me, especially after this rough time in all of our lives, we all need to check in with our inner voices and make sure they're still okay or at least managing. Biden Bitches! (Actual text to my suite-mates the day of the win) To be honest, I didn't think too far into the future since the last time I did my post on COVID-19 (I don't think anyone had the information to do so anyway) but I never saw this coming. First of all, this election was STRESSFUL. I hope everyone who was able, voted but even if ya'll didn't, God really did His thing cuz a girlie was scared. *Nervous laugh* But to be honest, I still am. Aside from the hostility that many minorities might face in retaliation to the election, the race was so close. The red on the screen was BRIGHT and the way those swing states SWUNG gave me whiplash. But overall this year highlighted the racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia (all the f'ing isms) that still strongly exist and oppress this country and that reality is scary. So I'm relieved and so incredibly happy about the turnout but my question is "now what?" Texas just hit over 1 million covid cases, people are still dying, minority communities are still suffering at the hands of life threatening bigots and truthfully, I don't even know what the world will look like in the spring with COVID-19. The world so desperately wants to go back to normal and I get that but our old “normal” wasn’t working, and our new normal is still something to discover but first we have to make it happen. And right now, the only way to do that is to stop "envisioning" what our future could like and start putting things to action. The people of America (for the most part) have done their share, now it's up to those in office. It's up to those in the labs. The system is clearly broken, we are broken, so why do we keep trying to fix things? When you glue broken pieces back together on vase as if they’ll fit the same way, that doesn't stop the water from leaking out of it. The vase is fragile and has been for awhile, so let’s buy a new fucking vase and move on. Adapt, and embrace change. That doesn't mean I also don't miss off-campus parties and going to my friend's dorms without a mask on but it's something we have to do for the survival of everyone. It's a small sacrifice for the greater good. So, life is okay. It can always be better but I feel like the rest of the world is has to grow stronger before it can be happy. (Shoutout to Pinterest for that one lol). But until then, we have each other, this community, our friends and family and I hope this doesn't stop us from forming connections with the world and strengthening our inner selves because we need all the love, compassion and understanding we can get. That's all for now. Until Next Time! With love, Arianna Hi guys! I hope things are going well (midterms really kicked my butt this year but we're surviving). But I'm back and just in time for spooky season! I don't think I've ever done a holiday based post on my blog before so I'm really excited to start now. Besides, we could use some fun in October so let's get into it! My favorite horror movie is SAW. If you didn't know, now you know. I never thought I'd have a favorite horror movie; when I was younger I thought I was scared of everything so shoutout to my dad because we bonded over my fear. Haha. No, not really, but now that I'm older I'm definitely on the lookout for my next 'favorite horror film' and frankly, I'm not holding my breath. In searching, I've noticed a trend in the newer horror movies. 1. They're not really scary. 2. They're lame. This judgment does not apply to Jordan Peele's films because that man is a freaking genius. Although, I'm not sure if it's because he emphasizes the more scary reality through his social commentary in Get Out or just the simple fact that I'm not really sure about that ending in Us. Either way, that man is a king. Everything else though? Eh. The newest horror movie is The Babysitter and YouTube has been flooding me with its trailer. And I like to watch trailers so I watched it and it seemed like a cheesy 2010 film. 'Oooh kids fighting for their lives in a comedic way' but what is it really saying? I don't know. Maybe It's just me because I'm not a big fan of jump scares. Conjuring 2 was eh. Halloween was amazing the first time. Omen and Excorcist were okay, but SAW? That was a psychological thriller I had to watch again on my own. But I know how older movies might not be seen as relevant or being as scary in today's world because of the newfound knowledge we've gained about the world. Certain things just don't make sense, but Saw is timeless so in rewatching it I wanted to share some of the key things I thought would be relevant in 2020. (Or maybe I just want to selfishly encourage you to watch the film. You can choose. Haha). Firstly, I have to admit, I am no longer scared of SAW, however it's really a freaking phenomenal movie. I genuinely don't think I've been really scared of a horror movie after i've watched it more than once, but if I watch it more than once then it's a good movie (which means something because I've definitely rewatched bad or cheesy romance movies but never horror. I go into horror with the purpose of being scared. I go into romcoms for the happily ever after.) However, I love the way this movie makes you think. Not necessarily because you have to but because you want to. What is SAW? SAW starts with two men waking up in a filthy bathroom chained and trapped with a bunch of clues as to how they got there and ways on how to get out. It flashes back to previous victims of the serial killer named Jigsaw, as detectives try to catch the killer. All the while the clock is ticking for these two men to escape and one of their family's is in danger. I think that's all I can give you without spoiling too much but a few fun facts about the film. All the scenes in the film were shot in one room. It was a low budget film and it started with two guys doing all the work themselves only for them to revolutionize horror and expand (their budget) and the series in only a few short years. I learned through my film class that it was also a social commentary on prisoner abuse in 2004 which I thought was really cool. Lessons It teaches: 1. Live your life valuably- I really love the way this movie made me rethink life decisions. Alcoholism, doing drugs, cheating, and abuse are extreme situations that each have extenuating and individual circumstances (meaning: not all all of these people are bad people, not all of these people are the extreme definitions that have been portrayed on tv and in the media, sometimes people just have issues that they need to work out but it doesn't excuse their tendencies, especially at the risk and harm of others and this excludes violence of all sorts) but the moral of the story (and movie) at least for me was that doing these things ruin your life for yourself and for those around you so why do them? (Not me literally) but in the hypothetical, would these people want to change or regret the way they acted in their life just because they were shown what it means to truly live their lives? Should they survive, would they actually be grateful for being able to survive something like that? To be honest, I'm not sure. For alcoholics and drug addicts I think there's a huge part of them that's also a victim to their addiction as much as they partake in it (but that's just me) and high stress situations might drive them over the edge. But someone who cheats on his wife, is he a shitty person? Sure, but does he deserve to die for it? Nah. Now I won't speak for someone who's a verbal or physical abuser though I'm not sure if this situation will curb the violent tendencies or simply add to the trauma that turned them into this person in the first place. However, the fact that these are existential questions to even ponder and for someone who was so young then (me), looking at the consequences for the way these people lived their lives definitely gave its valued effect. I wanted to make sure I made the right decisions in life for me and those around me by not drinking or doing drugs. (I was 12). But it also just makes you value the parts of the your life that are good because it could be worse. You could end up in one of those damn rooms and then what would you do? To be honest, I'm not sure I would even survive. 2. Sometimes people have the right to be angry at the world- Everyone has something shitty in their past or present. I mean look at us now. This pandemic? Our government affairs? The BLM movement? I'm pretty sure we can all relate to having something happen to us, even if it's still happening now. But the anger you feel for the misfortune in your life doesn't give you the right to take it out on others who you're angry at, jealous of, even if those people are the ones purposefully making your life a living hell. (Looking at you Trump). However, people have the right to be angry. For whatever reason, or whoever it is. But for me to sit back and realize that and identify with the villain in that aspect as the story began to unfold was baffling to me. And it made it even scarier because on some simplistic level, this anger, resentment and even sense of indignation and cause for vengeance can live inside of us. Maybe it does. And that doesn't make us bad people because we're obviously not acting on it and not trying to kill people but it makes you relate to the villain and to me that's what makes this movie scary, because it feels real. You realize you can also be the bad guy in real life or when watching this movie and in a weird way, it's kind of cool the way the movie does that. I mean, it's totally fucked up what happens in this film but you're never an outsider when watching this movie; you're always connected to it or someone in some way, to all aspects of this and it draws out these emotions of anger, panic, desperation, and true fear for your life and your loved ones. To then to sit with the thought that you could have done this to yourself? That you did this and caused this consequence? (Again, not literally.) That was crazy to me. I Loved it. 3. Would would you do in that situation?- This movie is known for its traps and my goodness are they good. They seem impossible and the puzzle on who it is and what's the motive behind them just keeps on building but when you really look at it--the traps and the reason for why this is happening--it's the startling reality that you could possibly get out of this extremely terrible situation. If you were able to stop and think clearly and maybe if you just had all the pieces to the puzzle or took a little more time to figure it out. But what this movie does again is make us realize our emotions. Because then when you put yourself in those situations (and you do. There's no way you don't sit there and think about whether or not you'd be able to survive those traps, realistically). It doesn't matter how logical we are, how we rationalize or reason and take our time to think, our heightened emotions of fear and panic and desperation will most likely always win out and SAW plays on that, jigsaw feeds on that and expects it and that's how he wins. And the ironic part of it is, he should be feeling the same thing for the realities of his own life and yet, all he feels is acceptance for his situation and redirects that fear into anger and hatred. How quickly our emotions can turn on us in the most crucial of situations. (The traps are a part of Jigsaw's previous victims and the realities of his life are explained at the end of the film.) How this relates to 2020 To be honest, this might all be a stretch but going off of the life lessons I just mentioned in SAW, I think we all value parts of our lives just a little bit more because of the pandemic. I'm not saying anything in the film directly relates to our lives today but I think the feelings and emotions attached to film definitely can apply to today. We will always value the time we had before quarantine where we could do things more "freely" without caution, we'll always value the time we were able to spend at home (if it was a good experience) during quarantine that we'll probably never have again, we've probably learned to value the way we care for ourselves and others in the way we react to wearing masks and keeping others safe. And we'll also learn how to value our independence and freedom when we see so many social justice issues coming to light and the fight for justice prevails just as the fight for our lives continues to proceed us. I think in this same way, we all have the right to be angry: at those who are in power, at those who choose not to care about others and put everyone at risk; at those who simply disregard human rights and justice for marginalized groups. But just like I explained in the context of the film, we also realize that it's not cause for irrationality, it's just a call to action and we'll always remember that, no matter who we are. And finally, instead of trying to figure out ways on how to get out of traps, asking ourselves the question of "what would I do in that situation" in real life allows us to empathize with those whose lives we typically don't know about, never understood before, never cared to educate ourselves on, and it allows us to grow into better people for the sake of humanity. So if the movie can't encourage you, I encourage you to ask yourself that question everyday the moment you're quick to judge someone for something they've done or the life decisions they've made because what are they up against? And how do you hold more privilege over them in order to say you don't understand and maybe never will? But what will you do to learn how to make this world a better place for everyone? Like I said, it might be a stretch and you may watch SAW and think everything I just said was a load of bull but either way, these 2020 life lessons will always apply so I hope you take them with a grain of salt. In conclusion: No one has the right to determine who deserves to live and die (shoutout to our government). No one is ever entitled to that much power even though everyone has the power to abuse whatever privilege they have in order to extort vengeance or anger on another person. It doesn't make it right but just the very fact that you can understand the villain's logic and his anger--though his misplaced anger is never an excuse--is big. Bigger than a random serial killer with a blonde fetish, for sure in the context of horror films. And I thought the impact in that statement alone just makes the whole movie seem more real but also allows the audience to connect with the characters and the situations in the movie a whole lot more. You're thrown into this situation with them, discovering clues with them and you don't know what to think and you couldn't even begin to guess that ending because I sure as hell didn't (and I usually always try). So when I can't guess the ending, I get to participate in a film mentally, and the plot twist isn't completely left field, I'd say that's a freaking great movie. So...watch it. It's relevant, it's fun, it's scary and you're really going to love that ending. Trust me. It's also a series, but I haven't watched all 7 movies. I also did not watch Jigsaw which came out in 2017 and I see that they might be making a spinoff in 2021 so I guess look out for that. I stopped watching after the first three so let me know if they're still any good past that. (Long series' can bore me). Otherwise, I recommend the first three for sure. Now, I can't say I've seen all the Halloween movie trailers that are planning on coming out this year (2020 was horrific enough. Too soon? Sorry, I needed to lighten up the mood a little bit.) but I've realized the past couple of years that the horror movies just don't deliver in the same way the classics do. Want my top 5 list? Check out my Instagram, I posted them on there. (I know, I'm so bad for tricking you like that). But I'll even link it here for you so you can go straight to it. See? I'm so nice. Lol. Anyways, I also know that I'm Thinking of Ending Things is out on Netflix and I haven't watched it yet because I want to read the book first but I'm putting it out there that I hope it's good. Don't tell me if it is or isn't. I'd rather be disappointed for myself just in case. All in all, watch SAW because it’s fucking phenomenal and Hollywood? If you're going to make a scary movie, make me fear for my life. I like a little adventure when I go to sleep at night because I definitely was scared Jigsaw was going to come after me in my sleep.
(You can stream SAW on Amazon Prime. Freaking 3.99 but totally worth it.) Always with love, Arianna |
AuthorI'm an 21 year old girl who lives in NY. I love to read and write and fashion is my life. Follow me to find out more! Archives
January 2023
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