Goodbye June

June was...a bit of a rollercoaster.
A productive as fuck rollercoaster but a rollercoaster nonetheless.


Just like 2019, I wanted to make some resolutions and (try to) stick to them. As a reminder, here were my updated resolutions.


2020 Resolutions:

     (1) Write [almost] every day

     (2) Don't stop reading

     (3) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

     (4) Share love of books/writing
     (5) Be kinder to myself

(1) Not every day. But at least half the days. And okay, if we're being honest, more like brainstorming and research for a new (well old but re-working on it--my Captain Hook piece) book. Lots of research. As I struggle to type this, my brain is slowly leaking out of my ears (its mush--mush).

(2) Books read this month: 17. I'm like on fire. Cranking through those TBR pile(S). Getting shit done. Maybe I'll let myself buy new books again soon ( ;) ).

(3) Manuscript chilling, waiting for people to read it, waiting for me to do research to find an agent, waiting in general. TBR pile(S) quickly shortening.

(4) Posts this month (including this one): 34. Yeah, 34, you read that right. Go. Me.

(5) Feeling good about myself most days. Definitely gained more weight. Definitely didn't exercise. Definitely feeling the fact that I can't really go anywhere, even when its all nice and sunny and the weekend (weekends are really hard).


Anyone still holding onto their resolutions?


Any exciting July reads?
Anything I should check out?

#newyearsresolutions #goodbyejune #hellojuly #hello2020 #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

They Both Die At The End

Holy shit. This book ruined me.

Like I totally excepted it (the title, "They Both Die At The End", kind of gives it away). Predicted a little of it (the expertly planned clues--so freaking perfect). Didn't see a few things coming (or more than a few--again, so freaking perfect).

But seriously...I don't think I was ready.

I shouldn't have expected anything less from Adam Silvera though, #king.

["On September 5, a little after midnight, Death-Cast calls Mateo Torrez and Rufus Emeterio to give them some bad news: They’re going to die today.

Mateo and Rufus are total strangers, but, for different reasons, they’re both looking to make a new friend on their End Day. The good news: There’s an app for that. It’s called the Last Friend, and through it, Rufus and Mateo are about to meet up for one last great adventure—to live a lifetime in a single day."]

The next book I read will be much, much more light-hearted. Mostly because I need something sunnier. mostly because I need a change of pace.

#theybothdieattheend #adamsilvera #holyfuck #thisbookruinedme #LGBT #LGBTbooks #magicalrealism #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Dark and Deepest Red

A third magical realism, ya, queer, romance novel.
From one of the very first authors to bring magical realism to the YA genre. The prose queen herself, Anna-Marie McLemore.

If you don't know her name, look it up. Read everything she ever read. Repeat.

Seriously, if you didn't hate yourself (calling all you writers out there) for your description, you will after reading hers. It's practically poetry. It transports you places.

Not to mention how freaking well she does story retellings. And how she twists fairytales, turning them back into their dark, original selfs. Or how she almost effortlessly weaves queer characters/relationships into her story. How most of her main characters are marginalized POC. How she keeps getting better and better and better.

Okay, without further ado, please have at the description for her latest novel "Dark and Deepest Red":

["Summer, 1518. A strange sickness sweeps through Strasbourg: women dance in the streets, some until they fall down dead. As rumors of witchcraft spread, suspicion turns toward Lavinia and her family, and Lavinia may have to do the unimaginable to save herself and everyone she loves.

Five centuries later, a pair of red shoes seal to Rosella Oliva’s feet, making her dance uncontrollably. They draw her toward a boy who knows the dancing fever’s history better than anyone: Emil, whose family was blamed for the fever five hundred years ago. But there’s more to what happened in 1518 than even Emil knows, and discovering the truth may decide whether Rosella survives the red shoes."]
#darkanddeepestred #annamariemclemore #magicalrealism #LGBT #LGBTbooks #books #booktagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Love & Other Curses

Alright folks! Another queer YA magical realism romance novel for y'all.

"Love & Other Curses" by Michael Thomas Ford. Holy freaking wow. This book was freaking fabulous.

This was a kind of book that just kind of spills inspiration everywhere. Not to mention all of the magic (because what good curse doesn't come with some great magical theory?).

["The Weyward family has been haunted by a curse for generations—if a Weyward falls in love before their seventeenth birthday, the person they love dies. Sam doesn’t plan to fall for anyone in the nine weeks before his birthday. He’ll spend his time working at the Eezy-Freeze with his dad; cooking up some midsummer magic with his grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother (the Grands); and experimenting with drag with the help of the queens at the Shangri-La, the local gay club. But when a new guy comes to town, Sam finds himself in trouble when they strike up a friendship that might be way more than that.

As Sam’s birthday approaches and he still hasn’t quite fallen in love, the curse seems to get more powerful and less specific about who it targets. A mysterious girl Sam talks to on the phone late at night and a woman he’s only seen in a dream might have the answers he’s been looking for—but time is running out to save the people he cares about. "]
Trigger warnings: suicide, self-harm, transphobia, abusive relationships, drug over dose, death

Seriously! Go read this thing! I'm begging you.

#loveandothercurses #michealthomasford #LGBT #LGBTbooks #books #magicalrealism #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Infinite Noise

It's still hard (but getting less so) to find books that fit into my little niche of books that many (most) of my WIPs fit into.
But Lauren Shippen's "The Infinite Noise" fits right into that genre: queer ya romance with magical realism aspects. Yeah, it's a lot, but its usually really fun and cute and totally worth more people writing/reading books here.

Okay, onto the book (one which while reading I hated how perfect it was--because why the fuck didn't I think of this idea):

["Caleb Michaels is a sixteen-year-old champion running back. Other than that his life is pretty normal. But when Caleb starts experiencing mood swings that are out of the ordinary for even a teenager, his life moves beyond “typical.”

Caleb is an Atypical, an individual with enhanced abilities. Which sounds pretty cool except Caleb's ability is extreme empathy—he feels the emotions of everyone around him. Being an empath in high school would be hard enough, but Caleb's life becomes even more complicated when he keeps getting pulled into the emotional orbit of one of his classmates, Adam. Adam's feelings are big and all-consuming, but they fit together with Caleb's feelings in a way that he can't quite understand.

Caleb's therapist, Dr. Bright, encourages Caleb to explore this connection by befriending Adam. As he and Adam grow closer, Caleb learns more about his ability, himself, his therapist—who seems to know a lot more than she lets on—and just how dangerous being an Atypical can be."]

All of the descriptions of emotions, how freaking powerful her description of depression, the way she used colors to enhance the empathy connection...this book was really fucking hitting all A+s when it came to prose/description. Again, I kind of hated how good it was (because I didn't think of it first).

Go read this!
Just be prepared for some heavy depression description (I had to skim through those sections myself).

#theinfinitenoise #laurenshippen #abrightsessionsnovel #books #LGBTbooks #magicalrealism #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

The Gravity of Us

I think the random GoodReads posts I stumbled upon sums up this book the best: "space and the gays, who could possibly want anything more?"

But seriously? Who could want anything more than space and boys-who-love-boys?
Diversity? Standing up for yourself? Standing up for what you love? And who you love? Being independent? STEM? Women in STEM? Realistic descriptions of depression?

Okay, so that last one is a bit of a downer, but all of the above (rhetorical) questions are applicable to "The Gravity of Us" by Phil Stamper.

["As a successful social media journalist with half a million followers, seventeen-year-old Cal is used to sharing his life online. But when his pilot father is selected for a highly publicized NASA mission to Mars, Cal and his family relocate from Brooklyn to Houston and are thrust into a media circus.

Amidst the chaos, Cal meets sensitive and mysterious Leon, another “Astrokid,” and finds himself falling head over heels—fast. As the frenzy around the mission grows, so does their connection. But when secrets about the program are uncovered, Cal must find a way to reveal the truth without hurting the people who have become most important to him."]
This book will most definitely bring out that weird era in your life where you were obsessed with space (because, be honest, we all went through that phase).
Makes me want to put on one of my multiple NASA shirts (and matching pj pants).

Also, I felt too lazy (stupid summer humidity) to pull out my numerous star twinkle lights. So instead, enjoy my glow-in-the-dark stars.

I'm burning through my TBR pile(S). But I still have soooo, sooo many left.
And struggling to piece together these series of scenes/characters I have flying through my brain lately.

#thegravityofus #philstamper #books #LGBTbooks #space #thegays #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

How To Be Remy Cameron

It took me three days to finish this. Mostly because I was trying to show self-restraint for once. But instead of taking it slow and reading at a leisurely pace (you know as opposed to my usual way of hungrily devouring pages at a scary rate), I just kind of avoided reading altogether. Opps.

Julian Winters's second book "How To Be Remy Cameron" is all about knowing who you are and yet really, really not knowing. It's about labels. Not necessarily accepting them. But accepting yourself despite the labels you gave yourself (and all the more labels that people gave you).

["Everyone on campus knows Remy Cameron. He's the out-and-gay, super-likable guy that people admire for his confidence. The only person who may not know Remy that well is Remy himself. So when he is assigned to write an essay describing himself, he goes on a journey to reconcile the labels that people have attached to him, and get to know the real Remy Cameron."]

The back book blurb might not say it, but there is indeed some love coming Remy's way.

Also a few spoiler alerts (for once, the book itself gave them to me/you--twice): homophobia, bullying, attempted sexual assault, alcoholism, mental illness, etc

Go, do something with your time. Read this.
Or read something and hit me up with a suggestion. ;)

#howtoberemycameron #julianwinters #LGBTbooks #books #bookphotography #bookstagram #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Nonbinary Pride

Yellow: #thisiskindofanepiclovestory

White: #symptomsofbeinghuman

Purple: #thegravityofus

Black: #loveandothercurses

#nonbinary #nonbinarypride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Pan Pride

Pink: #redwhiteandroyalblue

Yellow: #theregoessundayschool

Blue: #heartstopper

#pan #panpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Demi Pride

White: #runningwithlions

Purple: #onlymostlydevastate

Gray: #thepictureofdoriangray

Black Triangle: #infinitenoise 

#demi #demipride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Aromantic Pride

Dark Green: #hownottoaskaboytoprom

Light Green: #kingsrising

White: #theravenking

Gray: #fangirl

Black: #waywardson

#aromantic #aromanticpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Asexual Pride

Black: #likealovestory

White: #twoboyskissing

Gray: #assassinsguidetoloveandtreason

Purple: #ladysguidetopetticoatsandpiracy

#asexual #asexualpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Intersex Pride

Yellow Background: #waywardson #carryon

Purple Circle: #princeandknight

#intersex #intersexpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Queer

Purple: #hotdoggirl

White: #musicofwhathappens

Green: #goodomens

#queer #queerpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Trans Pride

Blue: #herroyalhighness

Pink: #hearstopper

White: #bloom

Pink: #theprinceandthedressmaker

Blue: #cinderellaboy

#trans #transpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Bisexual Pride

Pink: #redwhiteandroyalblue

Purple: #gayloveandotherfairytales

Blue: #honestlyben

#bisexual #bisexualpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Genderfluid Pride

Pink: #theprinceandthedressmaker

White: #thesummerpalace

Purple: #theladysguidetopetticoatsandpiracy

Black: #aristotleanddantediscoverthesercretsoftheuniverse 

Violet: #thefeverking

#genderfluid #genderfluidpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Gay Pride

Red: #ZiggyStardustandMe

Orange: #electrichier 

Yellow: #gentlemansguidetogettinglucky

Green: #heartstopper

Blue: #callmebyyourname

Purple: #theprincessandthefangirl

#gay #gaypride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Lesbian Pride

AND the start of our actual book/flag posts! :D

Dark Orange: #thetrailsofapollo

Light Orange: #wearelostandfound

White: #thefoxholecourt 

Light Pink: #redwhiteandroyalblue

Dark Pink: #heartstopper

#lesbian #lesbianpride #wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Rainbow Love

This masterpiece took me almost an hour to organize and stack. But isn't it beautiful?

So many more LGBT books than I had this time last year. So many more LGBT books available to read. So many more LGBT resources for teens/children/adults to learn about themselves (and about their fellow human beings). #rainbowlove #spreadlove

#wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Misfit Island

These are the poor books from my LGBT shelves that were unable to make it into my flag pride pictures (which again, I'll posts shortly).

For every person who doesn't know who they are or who you love or what you want/need in life. Yet.

Until then...enjoy your stay on #misfitisland my lovelies. <3

#wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Misc. Color LGBT Books

These are my few LGBT books that don't fall into a specific color category (therefore, they didn't make it into my full rainbow picture--that will be posted later). However, they still needed shared. because look how freaking beautiful.

#wildbeauty #annamariemclemore #morehappythannot #adamsilvera #waywardson #rainbowrowell

#wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Pride Post: Children's LGBT

Prepare yourself for a spam of posts this morning/early afternoon. A whole hell of a lot of gay and even more pride.

Starting with....children's LGBT. 

I honestly thought I had a lot more LGBT books on my children's shelves. I really did. 

So...anyone have any good books LGBT children's books I need to buy and read. Like now. Because I need to add some gay to my shelves.

#magnuschaseandthegodsofasgard #theswordofsummer #rickriordan #theprinceandthedressmaker #jenwang #thetrailsofapollo #thehiddenoracle #princeandknight #danielhaack

#wholebunchofgaydisastersyall #LGBT #LBGTbooks #pridemonth #LGBTya #yabooks #LGBTchildren #childrensbooks #TBRpile #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Lock & West

Another FABULOUS book by Alexander C Berhart: "Lock & West"

Another set of trigger warnings: suicide, mental illness, eating disorders, rape, attempted rape, violence, and probably a few more minor ones.

I loved "Lock & West." Probably more than I liked "There Goes Sunday School." I mean this book is 500+ pages, and I read it in 4.5 hours.

Honestly, I just wanted to wrap these boys up and protect them the entire time. Please go read this book. Trust me, you won't regret it.

["Note To Self: Just Don’t Be Weird

Lock is awkward. He can’t make eye contact, counts when he’s nervous and has to remind himself several times a day how ‘normal’ teens behave. Homeschooled most of his life, he’s resigned himself to a friendless existence at his new Atlanta high school.

Until he meets West.

List Of Reasons Why My Life Is A Mess: How Much Time Do You Have?

West has everything. Looks. Talent. Money. And secrets… so many secrets. Beneath the surface of West’s perfect existence is a pain he’s buried so deep a million therapists couldn’t unearth it and he’s determined to keep it that way. He’s an actor. He can act normal.

But then there’s Lock.

Sometimes Two Wrongs Can Be Right

They don’t fit. Their lives are equal but opposite disasters and the universe just keeps throwing obstacles in their path. Every time they are together they find it harder to say goodbye, harder to keep their secrets, harder not to lean on each other. But for this relationship to have a fighting chance, the two must stop trying to re-write the past and start figuring out how to build a future… together"]
#lockandwest #alexanderceberhart #gaydisasters #LGBT #LGBTbooks #pridemonth #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

There Goes Sunday School

"There Goes Sunday School" by Alexander C Eberhart was...heart-wrenching, heart-breaking, heart-stopping.

Before I got any further into persuading you to read this novel, you need (NEED) some trigger warnings: homophobia, internalized homophobia, graphic language, suicide, extreme bigotry, violence, misuse of queer words/phrases, and probably a lot more. I don't have a lot of triggers myself but this really sent my anxiety into a weird loop. So please proceed with caution.

This book...was really hard to read. Just all of the homophobia and bigotry. But that doesn't mean it wasn't excellent. Because it was, extremely excellent. Talk about growth and courage and becoming who you really are (okay, so more like accepting and embracing who you are).

But it needs to be read. It needs to be shared. Because a lot of LGBT books (my own included) don't touch this very real side of the world that we live in. We always focus on the fluffy and pride-filled queer aspects, but never really the very scary truth that so many people still believe in so many harmful things. These harmful things need talked about too.

Because if Mike and Chris can get through it (get out of it), so can you, so can so many other people. They just need support and love (even one individual to be that can change and save so many lives).

["In sixteen-year-old Mike Hernandez’s life, only one thing is clear: Gay is NOT okay. His family’s life revolves around the church, a church run by the vocally intolerant Pastor Myers, so Mike has resolved to spend his life in the closet. His only escape—besides the occasional, anonymous gay make-out session—is his art. He pours his complicated emotions into risqué drawings he keeps in a secret sketchbook. A sketchbook he carries everywhere.

When his sketchbook goes missing in the middle of Sunday school, Mike is sure his life is over. He’s going to be outed, ostracized by their community, condemned by the pastor, maybe even homeless. What’s worse, the pastor’s son, Chris, suddenly seems hell-bent on adopting Mike and his friends and he has no idea why.

When an awkward confrontation with Chris leads to an unexpected kiss instead of a much-expected punch, Mike’s world is turned upside down. As their friendship grows and faith is questioned, Mike may be forced to choose between the comfortable life he's always lived and a chance at the love he never thought he deserved."]

Please, read this book. Read it. Embrace who you are. But know that not everyone can, know that not everyone is as accepting as they should be, know that we need to change the world.

#theregoessundayschool #TGSS #alexanderceberhart #gaydisasters #LGBT #LGBTbooks #pridemonth #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Cinderella Boy

To be completely honest, I had some serious doubts about this book. BEFORE I read it.
But after? Fuck, this book was so good. SO freaking good. Every aspect of it.

So much feminism, so much inclusivity, so much LGBT+ pride.
I should also warn you that this book also has a ton of homophobia and queer-phobia. From fellow students. But mostly from older, white, men in positions of power at the school. Like any good YA book, though, they do their damnest to #stickittotheman and stand up for their LGBT+ classmates/friends.

And so much love. So much fucking love. And support. You can't forget about support. Love and support are different things. They go hand-in-hand sure. But they aren't mutually exclusive. Neither is trust.

["Sixteen-year-old Declan is the perfect son . . . except for one tiny issue. When his sister Delia comes home to find him trying on her clothes, he fears her judgment, but she only fears his fashion choices. One quick makeover later, Declan is transformed into Delia’s mysterious cousin Layla and dragged to the party of the year, hosted by Carter, the most popular boy in school.

When Carter meets Layla, he fumbles to charm her. He adores her sense of humor and her poise. But when she vanishes in the middle of the night, he’s left confused and determined to solve the mystery of who she is.

As their school year begins, their high school embraces a policy of intolerance, and both Declan and Carter know they must stand up. Carter is tired of being a coward and wants to prove he can be a knight in shining armor. Declan is sick of being bullied and wants desperately to be himself. If they team up, it could be a fairy-tale ending, or a very unhappy ever after."]


Please go read this. I'm begging you. You need this kind of positivity in your life. Especially with everything going on. Especially since it's Pride Month. Especially since it's a Cinderella retelling (and who can resist a good fairy tale?).

Also, I really, really want a tree house castle.

#cinderellaboy #kristinameister #genernonbinary #genderfluid #genderqueer #LGBT #LGBTbooks #pridemonth #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Isla and the Happily Ever After

Seriously, Stephanie Perkins's books keep getting better. I thought that "Lola and the Boy Next Door" was the one. But I was wrong. Because "Isla and the Happily Ever After" is.

It was SO FREAKING GOOD. The best of the three (the first one being "Anna and the French Kiss").
Set back in Paris. But also New York. (unfortunately no London, boo). So much love, so much fluff, so much happily ever after (so much, so much!!).

["Love ignites in the City That Never Sleeps, but can it last?

Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.

Featuring cameos from fan-favorites Anna, Étienne, Lola, and Cricket, this sweet and sexy story of true love—set against the stunning backdrops of New York City, Paris, and Barcelona—is a swoonworthy conclusion to Stephanie Perkins’s beloved series."]
This is more of the romance novel formula that I was missing the past couple of books. Getting together in the beginning, lots of kisses, lots of shared experiences, a major (or few major) conflicts that break things apart, and a happily ever after.

I'm like cranking through my TBR piles right now. Go me. :)

#islaandthehappilyeverafter #inloveinparis #seriouslyjosh #seriouslycricket #seriouslyentienne #seriouslytheboysarebetterthanthegirls #stephanieperkins #annaandthefrenchkiss #lolaandtheboynextdoor #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Lola and The Boy Next Door

Holy shit, I thought I read fast the other day when I read 200-250 pages in 3 hours. I just read 370ish pages in four hours (less than maybe). Because it's my day off. And because this book was better than the first one (god, I freaking love linked manuscripts).

Okay, so in the same universe as "Anna and the French Kiss" is "Lola and the Boy Next Door." Also, obviously, by Stephanie Perkins. Set in San Fran this time, with a ton of special appearances from Anna (and her lovely beau).

["Lola Nolan is a budding costume designer, and for her, the more outrageous, sparkly, and fun the outfit, the better. And everything is pretty perfect in her life (right down to her hot rocker boyfriend) until the Bell twins, Calliope and Cricket, return to the neighborhood. When Cricket, a gifted inventor, steps out from his twin sister's shadow and back into Lola's life, she must finally reconcile a lifetime of feelings for the boy next door."]

Like Anna, Lola had her faults, but freaking fuck, Cricket. Fuck. I want a Cricket. Like wow.

On a side tangent, I totally freaking love Stephanie's boys. Like I love them. Like more than the narrators themselves. Opps.

Even if you didn't read "Anna and the French Kiss," go NOW and read "Lola and the Boy Next Door."
Off to read the third installment in the 'series', "Isla and the Happily Ever After."

#lolaandtheboynextdoor #marieantoinette #yougogirl #seriouslycricket #seriouslyentienne #seriouslytheboysarebetterthanthegirls #stephanieperkins #annaandthefrenchkiss #islaandthehappilyeverafter #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Anna and the French Kiss

"Anna and the French Kiss" by Stephanie Perkins was really, really good.

Lots of Paris to soak up, which was really nice saying I had to cancel my own Paris trip.

And a dangerous amount of food/pastry description. A freaking dangerous amount. Like I got hungry while reading dangerous.

["Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris--until she meets Étienne St. Clair. Smart, charming, beautiful, Étienne has it all...including a serious girlfriend.

But in the City of Light, wishes have a way of coming true. Will a year of romantic near-misses end with their long-awaited French kiss?"]
I loved that Anna wasn't perfect. Like there were points in the novel where I seriously hated her. Like, I hated her. But as a writer, and a reader I guess, it was really nice. It's not too often when you read a book, a romance novel, where every character isn't absolutely perfect, let alone the narrator. And I mean more than making mistakes. It was fabulous.

#annaandthefirstkiss #stephanieperkins #boardingschoolinparis #paris #notradame #loveinparis #lolaandtheboynextdoor #islaandthehappilyeverafter #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

All For The Game: Nora's Tumblr Page

So I read most of Nora’s tumblr...some of it I love and fully support (for example: the cats, Sir and King as well as Wymack’s devotion to Kevin even before he knew) and some of it...I’m choosing to completely ignore (like one does certain plot points of Harry Potter). 

Because that whole thing where Andrew never fully recovers (which I can’t find right now)? No. Nope. Not buying it. Because sure Andrew has been through shit, more shit than anyone should, and healing takes time and all that trauma can’t be easily set aside or erased. And sure Andrew’s stubborn as fuck. But who’s more stubborn and pigheaded? Neil “I’m Fine” Josten. Neil “Two Weeks At Evermore? NBD Psychological trauma? Sign Me Up” Josten. And Neil “I’m Not A Pipe Dream” Josten, Neil “I Want To Go Back For You” Josten, would take all the damn fucking time it takes to help Andrew heal. No questions there. And Kevin would help, and Aaron and Nicky, each in their own special psychotic ways. Thank you for coming to my TedTalk. 

A TedTalk in which I don’t know where I started. Oh. Andrew never fully recovering. And me seriously not nothing which thread I read that on. I saw it was went a little crazy. Moving on. 

Also like, regular old books are kind of still a little anticlimactic for me, because of this series. The endings and declarations of love in particular. Like sure Character X loves Character Y. So much so that X does something sweet and romantic jester like, remembering a cute moment they shared right when they met or recreating the moment they fell in love. All super adorable. 

But like did you throw yourself headfirst into a full blown mob war for the one you love? No? Weird. 

Like any popular fan-base, I will now be accepting any and all appropriate headcanons as canons from here on out. 

Any favorites you want to share?

#allforthegame #aftg #thefoxholecourt #theravenking #thekingsmen #norasakavic #neiljosten #andrewminyard #kevinday #pridemonth #gaydisasters #imfine #imnotapipedream #iwanttogobackforyou #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Her Royal Highness (Royals #2)

Rachel Hawkins's second book in the "Royals" series is "Her Royal Highness."
And honestly, so fucking good, almost better than the first book. Okay, so totally better than the first book.

Remember how I mentioned a totally historic, completely picturesque private college in the Scottish Highlands, complete with stags and magical rocks (and actual, real-life princesses--well one princess)? Well, it was even freaking better than I imagined! Like falling in love for the first time, the real first time, with a princess, in the middle of a fairy-tale-esque castle-turned-school? Sign me up.

["Millie Quint is devastated when she discovers that her sort-of-best friend/sort-of-girlfriend has been kissing someone else. And because Millie cannot stand the thought of confronting her ex every day, she decides to apply for scholarships to boarding schools . . . the farther from Houston the better.

Millie can't believe her luck when she's accepted into one of the world's most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Everything about Scotland is different: the country is misty and green; the school is gorgeous, and the students think Americans are cute.

The only problem: Mille's roommate Flora is a total princess.

She's also an actual princess. Of Scotland.

At first, the girls can barely stand each other--Flora is both high-class and high-key--but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. Even though Princess Flora could be a new chapter in her love life, Millie knows the chances of happily ever afters are slim . . . after all, real life isn't a fairy tale . . . or is it?"]

Another must read.

((And honestly, judging a book by its cover, these covers are so fucking pretty. So simple, but I can't stop staring at it.))
Also, I really, really, REALLY want a "Royals #3" with Seb. Like, really, really, REALLY bad. That's is all. Because, yeah, he's a screw-up and a mega prat, but he needs love, too. D: Maybe with like one of the other Royal Wreckers...cause that would be super cute.

#herroyalhighness #royals #princecharming #rachelhawkins #princesses #princessesinlove #pridemonth #lesbianprincess #LGBTbooks #bokos #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks