PopSugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book written by an author in their 20s

Other PS 2020 reading prompts this would satisfy: A book that's published in 2020, A book you picked because the title caught your attention, A book published the month of your birthday, A book by a WOC, A book with at least a four-str rating on Goodreads,

TW: Domestic abuse, suicidal ideations, death and loss, homophobic slur, heavy sexual content, stalking, drinking while pregnant, alcoholism



If you've seen the cover of Pizza Girl, and didn't feel the need to read it immediately, you're a liar. I know they say not to, but I judge books by their covers. First impressions are important, and chances of me picking up a book with an ugly cover and wanting to read it are very low. Anyways, Jean Kyong Frazier's editor and art department tracked down the designer of a t-shirt for an actual pizza place, and I am in awe. The cover is so wonderful, and the book itself is pretty damn amazing.


When a woman calls into the local pizza joint with a strange request, a pregnant 18 year-old delivery driver becomes infatuated with the caller, a middle-aged woman named Jenny who's a shitty artist and an exasperated mother. The pizza girl grows obsessed with Jenny while simultaneously pushing away her support system. 


Realistically, this book is not at all what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting rom-com coming-of-age, but this book is more literary. It's contemporary fiction, but it's dark and deep and honestly made me feel so many ways that I still can't quite put into words.

Pizza Girl is reminiscent of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things, because I found myself rooting for protagonist, while simultaneously rejecting her actions and being utterly repulsed by her bad choices. I was also heavily reminded of Little Fires Everywhere because this wasn't a book that I was sure of the storyline. I didn't know what the book was about basically the entire time I was reading it. It was a slow burn that provided a climactic scene, but on a level that didn't feel obscenely in-your-face. It felt so raw and real, and again, hard to explain because the emotions I felt when I finished it were so vast.

The major thing that I really didn't love about the book was that a homophobic slur was used and it made me feel so cringey that I couldn't overlook it.






At 200 pages, this book can absolutely be devoured in one sitting, and though I highly enjoyed my one-sitting read, Pizza Girl could also be sipped slowly like a fine wine or nibbled upon like a charcuterie board worth of cheeses. As much as possible, go into this book with no expectations of the story. It will be wonderfully graceful ride. This is a knock-out debut from Kyoung Frazier, and I am impatient to see what she will deliver next.




Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆


















*I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.

PopSugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: no prompt used

Other PS 2020 reading prompts this would satisfy: A book that's published in 2020, A book on a subject you know nothing about (Polish fairy tales),

TW: Animal harm or death, violence, bigotry



The first thing that really sold me on reading Don't Call the Wolf was the cover. I know, I know - "don't judge a book by its cover" and all, but I do. I definitely judge books by their covers. And this one gorgeous. And overall? The story was good, had a lot of potential, and the imagery vivid.


Lucasz is the last of the Wolf-Lords, a family of dwindling dragon slayers, but is convinced his last-seen brother is lost in the Mountains, and is bound to go rescue him. But the forest is dark and full of horrors. So he ventures into the forest alongside a group of newfound adventurers who each have their own reasons for heading into the terrifying unknown. Leading the group is Ren, the forest's young queen and also a human/lynx hybrid. Each member of the group has a different personal goal, and they must all face a series of obstacles and monsters to make it to their end goals. 


Eh, writing this review is difficult. Because I actually really liked the story, but I felt like it should have taken place over two novels. Everything was so cramped into 500 pages, but the potential for this as a series was so great. There are quite a few characters, there's a lot of backstory, and there are a terrifying amount of horrifying monsters. If I would've broken it down, I would have made the first book very much about character development and background information. I would have likely included all the main characters, but they could have been sprinkled in throughout the story. The second book would've been the true adventure, the big action scene, and the wrap-up.

But too much happened in this one book. There was a lot of build-up, a lot of different monsters to try to visualize and fear, some backstories for most of the characters (even the less prominent main characters), and then the ending felt so rushed and also too... happy? Think of it this way - seven seasons of death, brutality, and sadness in Game of Thrones, and then the entirely unexpected series finale that was wrapped up a little too nicely. It was like that. I mean, this book is dark and disturbing throughout, but the ending didn't match the rest of the story, which made it a bit disappointing and actually unsatisfying.

But again, the story is actually really good - I just didn't think it was executed in a way that made sense. I really liked all of Polish fairy tale inspiration. I was unfamiliar with the stories, but they were so interesting and beautiful. I'll also mention that the back of the book has some additional information about the inspiration for the story, as well as a pronunciation guide for the Polish words used throughout the book. Keep that in mind going in, because it wouldn't be as useful to see after finishing the story.

I liked the characters mostly. They were likable often, while other times being incredibly flawed which seemed to exhibit human (and non-human) nature. There's a big theme of making mistakes but meaning well, and I really enjoyed the stories based off that theme. Ren was a wonderful character who went through a pretty great development arc. But closer to the end, I felt she started making really horrible, dumb choices, and it kind of pissed me off. Other characters had storylines that seemed incomplete or not fully explored. There were also some big twists, and I found myself shocked several times during my reading experience. So I'd say a pretty balanced amount of things I really enjoyed, but also things that lowered my rating. This isn't a bad book at all, and I think it's definitely an enjoyable read. I just also found some things within that really irked me.





The story was really interesting, the Polish fairy tale inspiration was so cool to learn about, and I loved the fantasy elements interweaved throughout the book. The writing was also really beautiful. But the story was far too broad to be able to fit within its 500 pages. It should have been broken up into at least a duology to be able to expand upon the potential of the storytelling.



Goodreads rating: ★★★☆☆














*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.

*I have been compensated for this post, however, all ideas are my own.


Have I ever mentioned the time we had bats in our house? Not just one or two bats, but tens of them if not hundreds. We were living in a rental property and had been there for about three years. We heard scratches in the ceiling occasionally, but we just assumed it was a squirrel every now and then.

There was a week we went on vacation and had a friend come over to let the dog out. When we came back, we found a bat in one of the bedrooms and just assumed that our friend had left the door open when he’d let the dog out and the bat flew in. We got it out of the house and forgot about it.

Instead, our landlord sprayed water into the attic space (?!?!) and bats went flying everywhere. I went inside to figure out how they were getting into the actual living space. I assumed the vents in the bedrooms since that’s where we were finding them at. But when I walked out of the bedroom, there were about 20 inside the living room! Flying around the ceiling fan, attached to the curtains. It was inside. Alongside our landlord, we got most of them out. But ended up staying with my parents for about two weeks, and checking in on the house every few days. We found them under couch cushions, behind bookshelves, attached to the backs of pictures hung on the wall, in the dirty towel hamper. It was a mess. We ended up moving out shortly after.






So when we bought our current house, we negotiated in the contract to have the house inspected and updated to include all rodent/pest prevention. We were not trying to get ourselves in the situation again. It really impacted our way of living and how comfortable we felt just trying to exist in our own home. Not to mention, at the time, hubby worked full-time from home. And now we both work from home (at least I do for the time-being, though not permanently).

Luckily, we have several high-quality pest and wildlife control services in the area. One of those being Eagle Eye Wildlife Control. I first discovered Eagle Eye when I found a very sick squirrel on-campus. It laid it in the same spot all day in a high-traffic area, and I just knew something was wrong with it. I wanted someone to help it or get it to a place where it was out of the way. And when I searched for squirrel removal in Atlanta, Eagle Eye was in the top results. Ultimately, the squirrel didn’t make it to the end of the day, and our facilities team was able to take care of the poor baby. But now I know about Eagle Eye, and though it wasn't the company used when we bought our house (we didn't choose), it’s a company I’d be so comfortable calling if needed.



Eagle Eye provides real results, personalized care, and inexpensive services for removal and trapping. What I think is such a good deal is that they offer free inspections and estimates, which is virtually unheard of. Almost any service you call and request and estimate/inspection, charges upwards of $75. So I am amazed by this deal. And the owner-operator run business even promises a five-year guarantee.

Honestly, before moving into our new home, we had to have our removal and exclusion completed. It was a total deal breaker if the seller didn’t agree to those terms. But we love our house, and I’m so glad we were able to make the exclusion happen. Now I encourage you, if you’re in the Atlanta-area to consider Eagle Eye Wildlife Control if you’re needing some help with rodent or pest removal and/or exclusion.

*All the pictures are from the sites listed below, and are linked to their listings. The product pictures above do no belong to me.



Wow. I'll be 30 in exactly one month. And let's just say this isn't the type of environment that I was hoping to be in during my big milestone birthday. We were planning to go back to New York in June, and so obviously that's cancelled. But I can't really complain. We just bought a house back in March, and we're settled in. I am absolutely in love with our new space. It's so us, and I am so happy.

Anyways, I wanted to share what's on my wish list for my big 3-0. Which honestly doesn't look much different than five years ago - plants, jewelry, some house thangs, and self-care items.

I've wanted a piece of jewelry from Automic Gold for a while. They're size and gender-inclusive, and just have really fantastic values. Some of my top choices are a custom nameplate necklace (Kayla), a disc necklace (A+K), initial necklace (K), initial ring (K), or a custom letter necklace (KAYLA).

I have an electric toothbrush right now that has the 30 second intervals, but it's so loud and bulky. I'm very into the Quip toothbrush my husband has. And now it's time for my very own Quip starter kit, preferably the one in all black (it looks so nice!).

I have a black thumb, but I really want to be a plant lady. I just ordered my first plant from Pigment. I'm so pumped to get it, and I really want all the plants. [ one | two | three | four ]

One of my 101 in 1001 goals is to try period panties or a menstrual cup. Nixit is a menstrual disc but looks so cool and comfortable. I really want one of these so there's less one-time use waste in terms of period products.

In terms of house stuff, I'd love a bench for our front porch to replace the plastic adirondack chairs we currently have. We need a new full-length floor mirror to replace the $5 one we currently have. We have some heirloom china given to us from my MIL that have literally never left the box and I'm terrified of breaking them, so I definitely want a console cabinet for the dining room to put our china in.

And because I have a bag of Starbucks coffee beans I'm unable to make into coffee, I definitely want a coffee grinder so I can fix that problem.

*I have been compensated for this post, however, all ideas are my own.


Mental health is one of the most important things there is. And I think over the years, it has become less and less stigmatized, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot more that needs to happen for mental health to be treated as seriously as physical health. In fact, there is so much that needs to take place to end the stigma against mental illness and seeking treatment for yourself.

I didn’t know much about counseling and seeing a therapist growing up. Hell, there’s still a lot that I don’t quite understand. But in college, I saw a counselor several times. My need was so bad that I was actually able to continue working with the counseling center over the summer even though I wasn’t enrolled. I was diagnosed with depression and given a prescription to Prozac. But reading the side effects, I freaked myself out so badly that I never started taking it and threw it all away. After that I stopped going to counseling. And you want to know that thing that got me going in the first place? I was forming really addictive relationships to characters in tv shows - so much that I would get really upset when I finished watching them and I didn’t know how to handle it. And honestly, I still get pretty connected to tv show characters. I mean, I am still very upset after that Veronica Mars reboot ending, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get over it. But maybe I’m able to handle it all a bit better now.

As much I advocate for others to take care of themselves and their mental wellbeing, actually going for myself had me terrified. I finally admitted to myself that something was wrong, what I assumed as a chemical imbalance to make me feel that way. So first step, right?

Then I had to go through with calling different offices to try to make appointments, to figure out who was accepting patients, who accepted my insurance, etc. Between every phone call and every next step, I cried a lot. It was really difficult for me to make an appointment. And that’s okay. It’s all easier said than done, but I make the appointment - which was scheduled for a month after I made it.

Then when I went to my appointment, I got there super early and had to wait for what felt like a really long time. And then I cried some more in the waiting room. I was a mess. And here’s the thing - I don’t feel like there’s anything in my life (past or present) that should make me feel the way I feel. But that’s the thing about mental illness and mental health - it doesn’t always make sense. Luckily, meeting with a psychiatrist has helped me get placed on medication that has definitely made an impact in my mental wellbeing. I’ve been able to manage and handle this COVID-19 pandemic a lot better than I would have ever expected. Even hubby has noticed I’m less irritable and more calm in most situations, which feel so good.

Now what I need is to start meeting with a counselor to really round out my mental wellbeing. It’s something that I’ve been putting off, but so many different practices are offering telehealth options now, so it’s convenient, if not quite “easy,” to make appointments. Ray of Hope Counseling Services has all kinds of appointment types - from telehealth to in-office appointments sticking to social distancing guidelines. They also offer different types of therapy, including individual, couples, family, child, and equine. For someone looking for a therapist in Athens, GA or the surrounding area, Ray of Hope allows online scheduling and has eight offices in the area.



In the time of a shared worldwide trauma, while trying to overcome this pandemic, and find a place in what’s become our new normal, mental health and wellbeing is possibly more important than ever. It’s time I made that counseling appointment. And if you’re ready, meeting with a counselor may be something to consider for yourself as well.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with at least a four-star rating on Goodreads

Brief synopsis: 35 years ago, Carly's aunt Viv took on a job as the night clerk of the Sun Down Motel in the small, mysterious town of Fell, NY. Then she disappeared. Now Carly, the same age as her aunt was when she disappeared, leaves college to enter Fell and search for answers. In Fell, Carly finds herself taking on the same job as her aunt, living in the same apartment, and facing many of the same terrors.

Overall thoughts: I thought this book was great! It took me a bit to get used to writing style, so the story started off quite slow for me. I really enjoyed the switched perspectives - you get chapters from Carly's perspective, and then chapters from Viv's perspective 30 years prior. There are so many parallels in both of their stories, so it was just the right amount of haunting and suspenseful. If you enjoy true crime and paranormal ghost stories, this one is definitely one to be picked up! Full review here.






Anna K by Jenny Lee ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book featuring one of the seven deadly sins (lust)

Brief synopsis: Anna K is rich, beautiful, and about as perfect as can be. By her side, she's got the perfect boyfriend, Alexander W (the Greenwich OG). But when she meets Alexia Vronsky (Count Vronsky), it flips her love life upside down. Meanwhile, Anna's brother Steven is cheating on his girlfriend Lolly. And Lolly's little sister Kimmie is in love with Vronsky. And Steven's tutor Dustin is in love with Kimmie. It's all basically a teenage modern day soap opera.

Overall thoughts: I've never read Anna Karenina, but that didn't impact my love of the story. In fact, it may have made me love this book even more. I was so immersed in the story and invested in the characters' lives that I could hardly put it down. There are definitely a lot of triggering things in this book, so I do encourage you to check out my full review for those trigger warnings. But this was such a fun book that carried some deeper, darker plot lines within the story. It's definitely very Gossip Girl-esque. Full review here.






Girls Save the World in This One* by Ash Parsons ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book you picked because the title caught your attention

Brief synopsis: June has been looking forward to this day for months. Her favorite show, Human Wasteland, is hosting its inaugural convention ZombieCon, and it just happens to be taking place in her tiny hometown. She saved up for this event and can't wait to spend the entire day with her best friends, worry-free, no thoughts of the upcoming SATs or being college-bound. She'll even have the chance to commemorate her day with her biggest celebrity crush. But when a fine line crosses between cosplayer and actual zombies - June and the gang must fight to survive, and save the world.

Overall thoughts: Who wouldn't want to read a book about a zombie outbreak at a zombie con? I loved all the little easter eggs about Georgia and kind about The Walking Dead (though the show in the book is Human Wasteland). I loved all the girl power, and the stories of friendships, and the action sequences. This was just a really good, really fun book. Full review here.






All Your Twisted Secrets* by Diana Urban ★★★★★

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with a great first line ("I spent the last hour wondering if I would die tonight.")

Brief synopsis: Aspiring film scorer Amber is invited to a local scholarship dinner alongside some friends and frenemies - her jock boyfriend, her queen bee bff, her loner ex-best friend, her valedictorian childhood friend and crush, and the school stoner. But when they arrive at the dinner, they get locked in a room with a syringe full of poison and a live bomb. They have an hour to decide one person to die, or the bomb will go off and they'll all be dead. As the countdown begins, secrets start to come out and tensions rise.

Overall thoughts: Wow. How can I best describe how much I loved this book? It was shocking and unexpected. I was so freaking immersed in this book, I went to bed at 3 am and woke up at 6 am so I could finish it. I continuously needed to know what was going to happen next, and I truly didn't expect the ending. Read this book! Full review here.






Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know* by Samira Ahmed ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book by a WOC

Brief synopsis: Khayyam is a 17-year old American, French, Indian, Muslim girl in Paris with her parents for their regularly scheduled summer holiday. Though she should be embracing her time in a city full of art history (her ultimate goal!), she's full of discontent. She may have ruined her chances at an amazing opportunity, her boyfriend (maybe ex?) is being super shady, and she really just wants to be home in Chicago getting her life back on track. But she meets a mysterious boy who may be the key to discovering key art history, she feels her luck may be about to change. In a parallel timeline, some 200 years prior, Leila is fighting for survival and love - mixed in a love triangle with a powerful Pasha and her true love. As Khayyam works to uncover irreplaceable art history, she begins to learn more about the mysterious Leila and must decide between history and herstory.

Overall thoughts: I was worried this book was going to be too historical fiction, but it was actually just the right amount. The story flashes between chapters in current day, and much shorter chapter snippets for the historical piece. I enjoyed the story, while simultaneously learning a lot about Alexander Dumas, which was pretty cool. I found myself Googling facts a lot during reading. Full review here.






The Wives by Tarryn Fisher ★★★☆☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book you meant to read in 2019

Brief synopsis: Thursday is happily married to Seth. She's crazy about him. Their relationship is strong, but there's one, well two, things that make their marriage so unique. Seth's a polygamist and has two other wives, referred to as Monday and Tuesday. In their arrangement, Thursday knows nothing at all about the other wives, other than the days of the week Seth spends with each of them. But she begins to feel insecure, and breaking the rules of their relationship, she begins to search for more information about her husband's other wives. And what she finds out is not what she expected.

Overall thoughts: This book was totally over-hyped, and I was left feeling incredibly disappointed. It's an incredibly unique premise and I was into for about the first third of the book. Then things took an incredibly predictable, and almost offensive turn, and it all went downhill from there. The very end was pretty shocking, but the major twist just left a bad taste in my mouth. Full review here.






The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with a pink cover

Brief synopsis: On Lydia Bird's 28th birthday, her fiancé gets into a fatal car accident. This novel follows the next year and half-ish of her life. During that time, she begins taking a trial sleep agent because her grief prevents her from sleeping. Surprisingly, the pill she's testing allows her to enter into a parallel universe where her fiancé (Freddie) is still alive and well. She's able to live her sleeping life with Freddie, while simultaneously continuing her waking life without him.

Overall thoughts: If you are looking for a sweet, but fully emotional tearjerker, this. is. it. Honestly, wow. This book was so good. It was very reminiscent of the Me Before You series, and Lydia reminded me a lot of sweet and quirky Louisa. I will definitely be reading more from Josie Silver based on my experience with this book. Full review here.






The Familiar Dark* by Amy Engel ★★★☆☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with a three-word title

Brief synopsis: In the smallest and poorest part of the Ozarks, Eve Taggert was born, grew up, and had a daughter of her own. As a young, unwed mother, she did her best to raise Junie to be her own woman in a happy and safe environment. So when Junie is found brutally murdered in the park alongside her best friend Izzy, Eve must venture back into her own past to find the grit and darkness she had in her youth, and assert vengeance for her daughter's death.

Overall thoughts: This book was good, but felt too short and like too much was missing. It's really, really dark and hard to read at parts because it gets pretty graphic. It wasn't quite as poetic and lovely as The Roanoke Girls, but it was still a good story. I felt like it was just missing something that I couldn't put my finger on. Full review here.






This Coven Won't Break* by Isabel Sterling ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book with at least a four-star rating on Goodreads

Brief synopsis: After Hannah's near-death experience due to witch hunters, she's lost most of her magic and is only able to feel her elements when her girlfriend, Morgan (a blood witch), is around. But the hunters are still around, and they're worse than ever. They've developed a drug that will get rid of a witch's magic, and it's up to Hannah and her clan to save magic.

Overall thoughts: This book is the sequel to These Witches Don't Burn, and I would absolutely recommend reading the first book before picking this one up. Where the first book was full of getting to know the characters and finding a close connection to them, this sequel expands on that connection and dives deeper into an action-filled realm. I really liked this followup and would definitely continue this series if more books are released. Full review here.






The Guest List by Lucy Foley ★★★☆☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book by or about a journalist

Brief synopsis: When magazine creator, Jules, and tv show survivalist, Will, are plan to get married, they do so somewhere no one else has before - a private folly on a tiny island off the coast of Galway, Ireland. But there are secrets and lies between the happy couple and their guests. When a horrible accident takes place the night of the wedding, they'll all have to question who held the biggest grudges, and why.

Overall thoughts: Another book that I thought was too overly hyped. The story is good, but I knew who the "bad guy" was right from the start. There were some weird storytelling errors in the book that irked me maybe more than they should have, though I'm starting to think I imagined it because no one else seems to have noticed. I needed some more from the book, particularly close to the end near the big reveal. The story is really fantastic and I loved the setup of the book, but it wasn't all I expected it to be. Full review here.






Last Girls* by Demetra Brodsky ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book on a topic you know nothing about (doomsday preppers)

Brief synopsis: Honey Juniper and her sisters, Blue and Birdie, are not normal teenage girls. Their entire lives, they've moved around with their mother living the lives of doomsday preppers. Now they've landed in Washington State as part of a doomsday compound, alongside several families living the same lifestyle. When an incident at school leads Honey to exposing a bit of her lifestyle to her classmates, things start to unravel at the compound. And the end of the world as we know it (TEOTWAWKI) may be coming sooner than anyone could have ever realized.

Overall thoughts: I loved these characters immensely. This novel is full of strong, yet emotional teen girls who are so deadset on doing the right thing, while taking care of each other. The story is fully about family, and what that may truly mean. I would've liked a switch perspective POV a little better, but overall this was a really wonderful read. Full review here.






We Didn't Ask for This* by Adi Alsaid ★★★★☆

Popsugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: NA book about or involving social media

Brief synopsis: Maria Cuevas loves the reefs. She's been diving into them for as long as she can remember. But when she realized the reefs aren't nearly as beautiful as they were 20 years ago, that coral reefs around the world are in fact dying and fading into extinction, she knew she had to fight for change. She decides that Central International School's lock-in night is the perfect opportunity. CIS's lock-in night is the stuff dreams are made of. It's life-changing - the night people make best friends, fall in love, party like there's no tomorrow. So when Maria and her "cronies" chain themselves to all the school's exits, they disrupt the entire lock-in night itinerary, causing their classmates to take notice, then maybe the rest of the world.

Overall thoughts: Though the writing was a little confusing and the format of the story was hard to connect with at times, this story this novel tells is so smart, timely, and relevant. The story itself really upped my thoughts on the book and increased my rating from where the writing failed me at times. I'd definitely recommend this one! Full review here.
























* denotes book was received free in exchange of an honest review. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own. 

PopSugar 2020 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book about or involving social media

Other PS 2020 reading prompts this would satisfy: A book that's published in 2020, A bildungsroman, A book that passes the Bechdel test, A book by or about a journalist, A book with a character with a vision impairment or enhancement (adv)

TW: Hostage situation, sexism, homophobia, serious injury, death



We Didn't Ask for This is such a smart, relevant, and timely YA novel that I think so many could benefit from reading. It's about standing up for what it right, and making a statement when you know that you need to be heard.


Maria Cuevas loves the reefs. She's been diving into them for as long as she can remember. But when she realized the reefs aren't nearly as beautiful as they were 20 years ago, that coral reefs around the world are in fact dying and fading into extinction, she knew she had to fight for change. She decides that Central International School's lock-in night is the perfect opportunity. CIS's lock-in night is the stuff dreams are made of. It's life-changing - the night people make best friends, fall in love, party like there's no tomorrow. So when Maria and her "cronies" chain themselves to all the school's exits, they disrupt the entire lock-in night itinerary, causing their classmates to take notice, then maybe the rest of the world. 


I'm a big fan of, um, not reading synopses before reading books. I had no idea what We Didn't Ask for This was about when I requested it via Goodreads. I just really liked the cover. But I am so glad to have had a chance to read it, because it exceeded my expectations.

The entire premise of the book is fantastic. It's a fun YA setting - a high school lock-in that is known to be "life-changing." There are a slew of various, diverse characters - athletes, theatre kids, loners/outcasts, activists, popular kids, etc. But they're each intersectional, and not just stereotypical typecasts of characters. And they're each so smart in their different ways. I think this book says a lot about teenagers and their influence on changing the world.

I loved the mini stories within the big picture story. The characters are so easy to connect with, and I loved their connections to each other. It was really charming and raw.

I will say the writing was pretty confusing at times though. The book is written from an omniscient perspective, but it focuses on different characters throughout different paragraphs, which got really difficult to understand sometimes. It wasn't broken down into chapters from different characters, or anything like that, so it was an adjustment each time a new character came into focus, and it made the storytelling feel a bit chunky. I would have really liked a different format for characters' perspectives, or from the story to be told from each of their point-of-views. It was just set up and formatted weirdly, which lowered my rating and led me closer to a 3/3.5 for my rating. But I just liked the story and characters so much that a 4-star rating felt truly more accurate for me.





I will continue to rave over this book. The characters are smart, determined, relatable, passionate, driven - they're just really fantastic characters. The writing was really poetic at times, but sometimes weird and chunky, and the constant character-focused perspectives made it difficult to keep up with what was happening and who was who at times. But overall, this story is incredibly timely and relevant, and I highly recommend this book for the story of it all.



Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆













*I was a Goodreads giveaway winner for a copy of this book. All opinions are entirely my own.

One of the things that I would envision every single time we viewed a house was how my soon-to-be library was going to look. I would determine if I'd be able to make built-ins or what the walls would look like lined with bookshelves. So, I am so incredibly pumped to finally share our home library (which also functions as my office, and a guest room). All of the rooms in our house are functional, but the library is the first room in our new home that I feel is fully complete. Check out everything below.

*Special thanks to Photowall for providing me with complimentary wallpaper of my choice and a wallpaper application kit. All opinions are my own.





The bookcase

I've had black/espresso bookshelves for literally as long as I remember, but I love the look of white shelves - they look so clean and put-together. Since I'm starting fresh, I was excited to put my books and trinkets on the shelves grouped by color, and I love the way it looks! Who knows how long it will stay this way? I typically end up just placing books on the shelves wherever they'll fit, but I'd love to keep up with the color coding.

The bottom row of books are my Stephen Kings, so they're not actually in color by order but they just had to be grouped together.






It took me literal weeks to decide on a wallpaper design. Photowall has wallpaper, prints, murals, and more. Their wallpapers are permanent, not stick and peel. I thought it would be really difficult since it was my first time ever even attempting to wallpaper, but it turned out really well. The drop match style of wallpaper (where the design runs diagonally repeatedly across the wall) is more difficult apparently, because you have to line it up perfectly, but as long as you take your time, it's fine. There were a few spots that weren't perfect, but you wouldn't really know unless you were truly inspecting the wall at our place. Check out my "home" highlight on Instagram for more images and video on the installation!









Harry Potter things

You may have noticed the lack of Harry Potter books on the main shelf. That's because my HP books and items got their own shelf. Check out my very regularly used HP set. I also have unread first edition hardbacks of Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and The Deathly Hallows. I'm trying to find all of the series as a set I don't read, but haven't found the first three yet (I've mostly been checking out yard sales and thrift stores, since I actually already own all the books.). There's lot of fun little finds in my collection that I've been gathering since 2001.





Office space

I didn't really have an office space, or have the need for one before having to work from home, so this space has really been a blessing when having appointments with students. I really love this small space and it helps me keep good work-life balance by stepping away from the area at lunch or at the end of the workday.










Gallery wall

I've wanted to create a gallery wall for so long and I had so much fun putting this one together. I played around with it a bit to get it all right by laying it out on the floor. I snapped a picture, and then used a level, a pencil, and Command hooks to hang everything.















Reading space

I had this big comfy chair I planned to place in this room, but it wouldn't fit in the doorway! Yikes. So, I used our guest bed turned sideways as a kind of day bed. Reading space for me, and a place for visitors to sleep! Win-win.











I am so thrilled with how everything turned out and I'm so excited to spend more and more time in our new library room. It's got the perfect amount of sunlight with that big window, and everything I could need for the coziest reading environment. Reading goals, here I come!