Even the most casual Hallmark watcher knows the famous Christmas line, "That's Garland for you!" Coined in Christmas Under Wraps with Candace Cameron Bure and David O'Donell, I decided to put it on mugs and banners for others that love that movie and saying.
Little did I know two years later it would end up in an actual Hallmark movie - the sequel to Christmas Under Wraps, A Cozy Christmas Inn. Following Lauren leaving for a fellowship, Andy opens The Garland Inn, which is struggling and potentially being bought by his ex-girlfriend's boss in Seattle. Erica travels to Garland to help the purchase go through, but finds herself torn between helping herself towards a promotion, or helping Andy make the inn a success.
You can watch this movie this season on Hallmark Channel and have your own Garland banner for your home now!
]]>It's officially the best time of the year, Christmas movies are back! It's another packed year for all the channels and streaming services, and I have the list right here to help you along the way!
You can also find every review on TikTok and the more in-depth weekly reviews on the podcast, Sarah Says.
]]>The calendar has officially turned to September, and to me that signals the best time of the year: fall is only a few weeks away, college football is back, pumpkin coffee has returned, Halloween is around the corner which means it's only a hop, skip, and a jump to Christmas (I know, you know how much I love Christmas).
According to my community, September and fall is the beginning of SAD season though, and I'm taking this year to try and help everyone (including myself) fight off seasonal affective disorder and get the most out of this time of year.
Introducing the September Bucket List. A few years ago I vowed to enjoy every day more and try not to wish ahead to future events, and started creating monthly little "bucket lists" of things you can typically only do during that month or season. Hopefully you can take this list and find moments in September to enjoy it while the air starts to cool and the leaves start to fall.
Don't have a playlist? Don't worry! Click HERE to find my curated fall playlist this season Check back to the blog and make sure you're signed up for the email list for other fun September bucket list items checked off if you need some inspiration this year. Always remember, there are no bad *hair* days
]]>After the hit phenomenon debuted in December of 2020, many people, yours truly included, that flocked to the books. And since I also like to hyper focus on the things that I love, I turned all the excerpts from the books into their own Whistledown society papers for your Bridgerton themed parties. It was only right that I keep up the all the drama and make a new set including all the season two drama that unfolded. Although, if you ask me, I still mourn over how the interpreted The Viscount Who Loved Me for this season.
If you're still processing the second season, you can find all the podcast reviews of each episode over at Sarah Says! Find Episode 1 review here.
Click HERE for the new season 2 Whistledown society papers. You can print two-sided or you can print both pages and then use paper adhesive to tape together and cut around the edges. You can also find all the other Whistledown papers HERE from a previous blog post!
]]>On February 24th, 2022 Russian forces invaded Ukraine and what we've been witnessing since has been truly horrific. Since the invasion and the ongoing war, charities and individuals have pulled together to help in any way possible. I recently recorded a podcast with a list of charities and other ways to donate that you can listen to HERE, or you can find their quick links below:
Specifically Ukraine Charities:
Razom For Ukraine: Razom is a dedicated charity for Ukraine that is currently raising money to send critical medical supplies to the front lines. They have several informational tabs on their website to help everyone reach as many people as possible.
Sunflowers of Peace: Sunflowers of Peace has teamed up with Razom to help raise money to donate critical medical supplies to the front lines with first-aid backpacks going to first responders and medical personnel. Based out of Boston they also have volunteer opportunities for those in the US.
Come Back Alive: This funds the Ukrainian military directly, but for those inside the US, the way to donate is a little different than if you're in Europe. You can also donate directly to the Ukrainian military at the NBU using GooglePay.
Revived Soldiers Ukraine: Revived Soldiers Ukraine is like the Ukrainian version of Wounded Warrior. They also have a link to their Amazon wishlist that has items to send to the current military fighting.
Voices of Children: VOC has been helping Ukrainian children affected by war since 2015, but is now helping with evacuation efforts as well as psychological assistance.
DiozPL: DiozPL is a group of Polish vets that have been going back and forth across the border to rescue animals of all kinds and bringing them to Poland for aid and rehoming. They have a current Instagram fund going to help with the purchase of gas, vans, and food to support the mission.
Charities that help around the world but have assistance for Ukraine:
CARE: CARE has been helping globally for 75 years but has a specific direct fund for Ukraine, primarily set to help women and children and the elderly first with money, aid, and other supplies.
IRC: International Rescue Committee has been helping refugees for decades and has teams set up globally where needed. They have a current fund going for Ukrainian refugees.
World Central Kitchen: World Central Kitchen helps feed refugees from around the world with hot, fresh meals, and has already served over one million meals across Ukraine, Poland, Moldova, Romania, and Hungary.
Other Ways You can Help:
Of course there's plenty of other ways you can also help support Ukraine right now. Most bigger cities have churches that are collection donations of all sorts to send - the biggest need usually being medicine and men's socks and underwear. Those need to be new, but most other clothing items just need to be gently worn - so it's the perfect time to donate as you spring clean.
You can also help support individual Ukranian makers with the help of Etsy and Spoonflower.
On Etsy:
Simply click HERE or follow these directions: Go to Etsy directly (never click on Etsy ads from Google or Facebook) and type in "digital downloads" into the search bar. After it searches, click the "all filters" button underneath the search and scroll to the bottom where it says location. In the custom bar type in "Ukraine" and from there it will only show Ukrainian registered shops. You can also find shops, like mine, that have products that are sending donations to any number of charities by typing in "Ukraine donation" in the search bar.
On Spoonflower:
You can click this link HERE to be taken to a curated collection that Spoonflower and Shutterfly came up with to help Ukrainian makers. Shutterfly and Spoonflower are also donating $50,000 to CARE and have several avenues to help Ukrainian makers that sell on the site.
On AirBNB:
AirBNB has waved fees currently for Ukrainian hosts and guests who book stays with Ukrainian homes. You can also go HERE to see other ways to help via AirBNB which include hosting a refugee (must be able to commit to 6 months), donate to the fund that is partnering with a $10 million dollar donation to helping fund housing refugees at this time.
On Sock Bun Studios:
You can find donation scrunchies HERE that proceeds go to CARE.
]]>Witch Please: Ann Aguirre, 2021
This was simultaneously the book pick for SBS, as well as the new book club I'm in, and to be honest, I didn't love it and neither did anyone in the book club. It's not bad, it just also wasn't good exactly.
Meet the Waterhouse witches, Danica and her cousin Clementine. They're modern day witches who own a repair shop in a small town, casting their helpful spells with no one the wiser. A few streets over, you have Titus, aka CinnaMan. He's the town's baker, and even better? Single and attractive. When the two meet, it's instant sparks, literally and figuratively. However, as a "mundane" aka muggle, Danica tries to stay away to appease her Gram. But, sometimes, that's easier said than done. Can Danica really have her cinnamon roll and eat it too?
Rereading the bullet points of this synopsis, I guess I shouldn't surprised why this book was a little odd to me. Titus is a bisexual, virgin and convinced he's under a hex (spoiler alert - he is, and finding that out towards the end did make me laugh out loud). The randomness of ex relationships, one of them being a woman who then fell in love with his sister, seemed superfluous to the overall storyline. The whole book honestly comes down to Danica and Clem's grandma being a lying, manipulative, bigot and the showdown could have been more? Or less? I don't really know. I just know that I sped read through it because I didn't love it. At least I finished reading it though, which is more than I can say for other books this year! There's a second book surrounding her cousin Clementine coming out in April of 2022 and I'm currently on the fence on if I'll read that one or not. I guess time will tell!
Fall From India Place: Samantha Young, 2014
It wouldn't be me if I didn't practically start a month off without a Samantha Young book. Guys when I tell YOU...Marco may be my new favorite. I wasn't sure how it would work moving ahead in the storyline to Hannah, who the last time we saw her was seventeen, but it was *high pitched voice* so freaking cute to see everyone else with their babies I *squeals.*
Hannah Nichols has only ever loved one man, Marco D'Alessandro. Since he walked her home one fateful day when she was fourteen, she's known he was the one for her. But, after one night at India Place when she's seventeen, Marco leaves and Hannah is left to pick up the pieces of her life. Five years later, who should she run into at a colleague's wedding? Marco. Of course. He's ready to prove that he made a mistake and he's the man she deserves now, but is it too late? They both have secrets that they'll need to air out before they can live the future they want, but will those secrets be too much to get past? NOT ON SAMANTHA YOUNG'S WATCH I'LL TELL YA THAT MUCH!
Guys. Guys. *cracks fingers, swoons, big sighs, deep breath exhale* WHEN I TELL YOU. I can't stop with these books. I pick them up and they're like my own form of crack. I can't stop until I'm done. I've loved all the stories, but something about Hannah and Marco was just...more. I think part of it was because we've grown with them from Hannah telling Jo in her old childhood bedroom at Sunday dinners when she was fourteen, to Liv staging interventions at D'Alessandro's at seventeen. I won't lie, there was a point where I wanted to shake Hannah, but the thing about Samantha's writing is, she knows exactly how the reader is feeling and anticipates it by having at least one voice of reason in the book - Hannah being the biggest voice of reason in this one. Everyone else has their say too but Hannah can point blank point out her own faults throughout this book. Obviously they have a happen ending and as Joss points out - Marco may actually out-Braden, Braden. And I didn't even know that was possible. ONTO COLE'S STORY NEXT *squeals*
The Santa Suit: Mary Kay Andrews, 2021
Mary Kay Andrews has caught my eye a few times this year for her books but I've yet to pick any of them up until now. You know I'm all in for cute Christmas books, especially when they're short since I have a lot coming up and need fun fast reads. But sometimes, fun fast reads can be too fast?
Ivy Perkins is shaking up her life on her own terms this time. Finding out her husband and business partner had cheated on her was devastating, but now she's moving on and moving to a new zip code sight unseen. The Four Roses farm seemed okay from photos, but maybe she should have visited it before buying? Cleaning out the fully furnished house was a task she wasn't prepared for, but when she finds a handmade Santa suit in one of the closets including a handwritten letter from a little girl asking Santa to bring her daddy back from war, Ivy can't get the thought of finding the girl out of her mind. Starting over can be hard, but starting over in a small town could just be what Ivy has needed all along.
Okay, it's a novella. That's what this comes down to for me. Was it cute? Yeah. Was it choppy? Also yes. If it had been more fleshed out and a whole actual book, this would be a must read. As is, it's a "want a fun, quick Christmas read? Great!" but I wouldn't buy the book to keep forever. I am definitely waiting for Hallmark to turn this into a movie though, full stop. I will say though, the ending was something I should have seen coming but I didn't and I love when that happens. I sort of thought the mystery of the little girl and the letter would end up only semi-resolved, but where's the fun in that? I won't give it away, but yeah, the ending got me and that's the main reason why I'm waiting on Hallmark to turn it into a movie too - most likely over on Movies and Mysteries. Hallmark! Email me! Let's talk!
The Holiday Swap: Maggie Knox, 2021
There's maybe nothing I love more than having one of my friends or followers tag me on Instagram about something that makes them think of me. I was tagged a few weeks ago in a post about Maggie Knox's first book, The Holiday Swap, because she said it reminded her of a Hallmark movie. It does, coincidentally, follow part of the same plot as the 2017 Candace Cameron Bure movie, Switched For Christmas. Obviously you know I had to read it.
Twin sisters Cass and Charlie are identical in looks and jobs, but that's where the similarities stop. Charlie went off to culinary school and now co-hosts a baking show on TV, while Cass stayed in their small town to help carry on their family's bakery legacy. Now, twelve days before Christmas, the two are stress baking their way through their respective jobs when crisis strikes. Charlie is hit on the head with cascading pots and pans and is knocked unconscious. Coming to, she's checked out and finds she has a serious concussion and has lost her sense of taste and smell. She calls Cass asking for a major favor - she needs them to trade places like they used to as children. She's on track to get her own hosting gig, but she can't possibly wow anyone when she can smell what she's baking. Cass finds her own silver lining in this idea; her long-time boyfriend Brett has proposed when she's ready to end things once and for all. Maybe taking a break and switching it up isn't the worst thing for either of them. But one simple switch yields a white lie that spirals out of control when hometown firefighter Jake and physician assistant Miguel enter the picture. With only twelve days to Christmas, anything is possible.
This book was so cute and funny and had the drama that wasn't overly dramatic that made it perfect for a Christmas book. This is what we call a perfect fluff piece that leaves you with all the warm fuzzies you want at the holiday season. It was also an extremely fast read, as I found myself turning page after page to find out what the girls were going to do next. The only sad part is it's Maggie's only book so far, so I don't have anything of her's to move on to next, because I will definitely be reading more from her.
Echoes of Scotland Street: Samatha Young, 2014
I've said it earlier in this blog post, but I'll say it again, the On Dublin Street series is my own form of crack. It's great because when I want to fit a quick book in, I know these will be under 36 hours - more like under 24 hour read. The bad side of that coin is, I read them so fast all I want to do is then go back and restart it. I didn't know what exactly to expect from Cole baby's book - I mean, when we first met him he was a nerdy, shy teenager who was dealing with his alcoholic mother's abuse and standing up for his sister Jo to Cam when they didn't get along. But when I say FIRE. F I R E. LITERAL. FLAMES. Kiddies...BUCKLE UP.
Shannon MacLeod is a magnet for bad boys. First meeting as 15 year old's on a stoop outside of Scotland Street (hello anyone else remember Liv walking by Cole talking to "a cute red head" at Ellie and Adam's new place?????? *SQUEALS*), Shannon walks away from Cole and feels in that moment that she's made a mistake. Nine years later and a string of bad boys later, the latest leaving the worst mark on her, Shannon and Cole meet again, this time when she walks in to his tattoo shop he manages looking for a job. Determined not to make another mistake, she ices Cole out, seeing his outer tattooed persona as bad boy incarnate. But Cole being Cole, and seeing the likes of Braden, Adam, Cam, Nate, and Marco, fight for their relationships is determined to make her see that he's the real deal. Trusting Cole is the hardest thing Shannon has ever done, but she's ready to go big or go home.
Guys, I...I'm speechless. I really am. Shannon had every instinct and inclination to never trust Cole, but she puts in the work. When she tries to both appease her (crappy) family but keep Cole, it was actually Cole that made me want to punch a wall and I actually loved that turn of events? I fully expected Shannon to get spooked, much like Joss with Braden in book 1, but instead once Shannon gives her trust to Cole, she's all in. I thought I loved Hannah and Marco's book - and I do. But Cole really came for it all in this book. As per her ush, Samantha seamlessly weaved in all of our other characters - the tribe as they're referred to here, and it made me squeal even more. Hannah and Marco are having a second baby, Joss is on her fifth book being released, Jo and Cam's baby Belle is turning four. I just...my heart runneth over with love for this series and I'll be truly sad to leave them in the last book focusing on Shannon's brother, Logan.
Moonlight on Nightingale Way: Samantha Young, 2015
Book six already?! I wasn't sure how I was going to like this one when I originally was reading the plot lines because we didn't know Logan originally. But then I read Cole and Shannon's book and could not wait to dive in. As soon as I downloaded the book I flipped immediately to the end to see the epilogue because I had to know if everyone got an ending - and spoiler alert - they did and it was SO CUTE.
Logan MacLeod is officially a free man and making up for lost time. Done serving his time for attacking Shannon's abusive ex, Logan is Braden's right hand man at Fire and quickly becoming known as Edinburgh's king of one-night stands. One person who is not happy about it? His neighbor, Grace. She's a freelance book editor who is in need of a solid night's sleep and a front door not covered in vomit from his latest conquest. The two square off multiple times, and it's during one of their rows that they meet Maia, a fifteen year old with the same violet eyes as Logan and Shannon who claims to be his daughter. Now trying to find a balance for himself and Maia, can Logan see that he really does deserve it all with Grace? And can Grace let go of her own messed up past to accept his love?
Guys. GUYS. Samantha Young crushed this series ender in the best possible ways. Logan and Braden are so similar that I love their book ends to this series. He and Grace are so wonderful for each other and their conflict happens sort of in reverse order, so it was also a refreshing plot line. I couldn't have possibly asked for more in the epilogue endings, other than for this series to never end. Add some extra tables at Elodie and Clark's I say! This series overall is a 10/10 must read for me.
The Ex Hex: Erin Sterling, 2021
Guys I got it!! The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling was easily the hardest book to get my hands on this year so far, but I'm proud to say that I got my hands on it from the Libby app just before Halloween and finished it on October 31st. Not that I wouldn't have read it past then, I just wanted to get through it before spooky season ended, and I'm so happy to say that I did!
Never mix vodka and witchcraft. Not just a catchy slogan to sell on shirts and tea towels, Vivi knows it's the family motto. But being nineteen and dealing with heartbreak is too much to deal with sans vodka. This is how we find Vivienne Jones when we meet her. Soaking in a bath with every candle in the house lit, crying over Rhys Penhallow. Once her cousin Gwyn returns to find her in such a state, the pair drunkenly decide to hex Rhys over an orchard hayride candle. What can possibly happen?! Apparently a lot! Nine years later, Rhys, Vivi, and Gwyn are about to find out that curses over an orchard hayride candle are very much real, and they only have a few weeks before Halloween to reverse it before Rhys, and their beloved town of Graves Glen cease to exist.
This book was a quick 303 page read, which made it easier to get though in a short amount of time, and I appreciate that in a holiday read. It felt very Practical Magic to me, much more than Witch Please did, and yet I was still missing something. I'm not exactly sure what is miss, but something is. That said, it gets a very hearty 4.5/5 star rating from me and a must read badge of approval either this year or next spooky season! Rhys was thoroughly entertaining and I loved all the nods of magic in the town that instantly made you want to book a visit to Graves Glen, Georgia.
]]>September? More like Booktember! It was a book heavy month (which is probably good because the end of October signals Countdown to Christmas and the insane goal of watching all the Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies so there won't be much time left for books in November and December) and we have much to discuss! As usual, the links are affiliated and you can find more in-depth reviews of these books in the monthly Wrap-Up podcasts at Sarah Says!
Roomies: Christina Lauren, 2017
We're back with the Sock Bun Studios book club pick this month with another Christina Lauren book (can you tell when it's Jen's turn to pick books?) As we know, CL either absolutely smashes it for me, or I could take it and leave it.
When a marriage of convenience turns into a real love story, are we all winners or losers? Holland has gone out of her way many times to run into subway musician Calvin and when he saves her from a drunken attacker she thinks it's fate. But then reality sets in. Calvin is in the country illegally after his student visa expired years ago, but now that Holland's uncle has offered him a position on Broadway a solution needs to be found, and fast. Enter a marriage of convenience...or is it?
Roomies absolutely smashed it and broke my 50/50 tie on love/hate. For such a whirlwind and rash decision, somehow the relationship actually felt very mature? It sounds like an oxymoron but it worked. I had two foregone conclusions about the book going into it and halfway through it, but the big problem wasn't anything like I thought it was going to be which made it even more refreshing. It was fun, witty, and just a solid fast read.
The Widow Of Rose House: Diana Biller, 2019
I joined a fun book club this month called The Thirsty Wallflowers and this was their September pick. What I love about book clubs and this year of intentional reading for me in general is that it's introduced me to books I'd never pick up/authors I've never heard of.
Alva Webster is looking for a fresh start after the death of her abusive husband that she fled three years prior. Moving back to New York City, she's excited to restore a rundown Hyde Park mansion and her reputation. It's just a shame then that the house seems to be haunted. With the help of Professor Samuel Moore, they try to uncover the tragic story surrounding her new home, while he also tries to win over Alva's heart.
Guys...I'm not going to lie to you - I did not finish this book. I tried. I really did. I skipped around a lot so I know the overall gist of the book but I just couldn't seem to find my way through it. The book club girls talked about it with such enthusiasm I want to renew it and try again to finish it, but for some reason I just couldn't stay focused on it long enough to read past 26% done.
Accidentally Engaged: Farah Heron, 2021
Last January I read The Matchmaker's List by Sonya Lalli and found myself hiding laughter on the airplane back from California, so I was excited to try this new book by Farah Heron because it seemed somewhat similar. "We don't have daddy issues, we have Indian parents. That shit runs deep." is the best way I can describe both books, while also not being Indian myself.
Nadim has moved in across the hall from Reena and is set to marry her. It's a shame then that Reena has absolutely no plans to marry Nadim - much to her parents' chagrin. But after a drunken night and one playful cooking video gets submitted for a new cooking show featuring couples, they have no choice but to pretend to be engaged for it. Just as long as no one in her family finds out. They say you can't fake chemistry, and the camera isn't lying. As they progress through the competition, can they stay "just friends" or was Reena's father right after all?
This book was laugh out loud funny and at the same time, bang your head against a wall frustrating. I guess that's what Reena means when she says she and Nadim don't have daddy issues, they have Indian parents? There's so many secrets being kept in Reena's family, and Reena and Nadim's budding relationship that you just want to scream, even though on one hand you can understand why Reena is so hesitant to open up. It was a solid 4/5 read for me and I'm definitely adding Farah to my author list to read other books by her.
Just Last Night: Mhairi McFarlane, 2021
Mhairi McFarlane has quickly become one of those authors that I just know I'm going to gain revelations while reading an otherwise "chick lit/romcom" style book. I read If We Never Met last year and fell in love with her writing, but admittedly couldn't get into You Had Me At Hello that I tried reading last month, so I was a little unsure of this book. All my fears were pretty quickly displaced, because I loved this book. I read it in three days and cried at a few parts. It was nothing like I expected but everything a great book should be.
Sometimes family is who you pick. For Eve, she feels that way about her three best friends; Susie, Ed, and Justin. They've been friends since they were teens, and now in their mid 30s, their friend group is still as strong as ever. That is, until tragedy hits. In the aftermath of one fateful Thursday trivia night, Eve learns secrets that will change her views on her friends forever.
Two weeks before I started college I lost one of my cousin's to a drunk driving accident. The college nurse told me that I was dealing with PTSD when I still couldn't get behind the wheel of a car a month later and woke up from nightmares. That was nearly 20 years ago and all those "what if" fear memories I had came rushing back with this book. It's hard to live life after a tragic accident to a young person. Eve's navigating her loss felt poignant and lighthearted while also not shying away from harder emotions. The final pages left me a wreck in only a way that you could feel having gone through a similar situation. This is a 5/5 must read on my list!
Portrait of a Scotsman: Evie Dunmore, 2021
Finally we get book 3 in the League of Extraordinary Women series! I sped read Bringing Down The Duke and A Rogue of One's Own earlier this year in a week and have been not so patiently waiting to read this. I assumed it'd be much like Lisa Kleypas Wallflower series book three with St. Vincent and Evie but it wasn't. Almost at all.
Harriet Greenfield is not entirely the shy reserving daughter of London magnate Julien Greenfield that one would expect. After running away once again from her protection officer, Hattie meets the piratical Scottish businessman, Lucian up close and personal and it's all downhill from there. A week later and a fateful "lean in" kiss, Hattie and Lucian are hastily married but all is not well. Can Lucian, who quickly falls for Hattie, prove that he actually loves her? Or will Hattie get her annulment she wants? I guess we'll see if a trip to Scotland can change her mind first.
By the time I finished the book, I loved it. But it was a very "trust the process" book for me. Putting myself in Hattie's shoes, not knowing Lucian's side, and giving it the time period, I can understand her hesitancy and reluctance. That said, I was hitting my head against the wall a few times at her flippancy when it was clear that Lucian was in love with her. His story was better than I imagined it to be and in the end, their union and relationship might be the most secure? All I really need to know though, having finished it - WHERE is a book 4 for Catriona?! This says "book 3 of 3" of the series, and I just *can't* abide by us not seeing Catriona with the Duke's brother that was teased in the first book.
Down London Road: Samantha Young, 2013
Book 2 of 6 in the On Dublin Street series, I couldn't WAIT to read this. But then I read it...and I...there are no words. None. I love this book and this series so much I literally *cannot* stand it. I can't. I CAN'T. (Imagine that in the TikTok sound). I know this one is about Jo and Cam, but it's still pretty much all about Braden Carmichael for ME.
Johanna has the reputation of being a gold digger, but what if that's only skin deep? She may date rich men, but it's only for the benefit of her younger teenaged brother Cole that she takes care of away from their drunken mother. But then she meets Cameron MacCabe. He's her age, tattooed, and definitely not rich. And yet...he may just be the perfect person for her after all.
Y'all...when I tell you that I screamed at two things: one, when Jo faces her biggest obstacle she actually reaches out to Joss and Braden and it was so freaking satisfying to see the character development. It honestly shocked me. And TWO, I vaguely remembered the title of the next book in the series so when Olivia, who we meet in this book, mentions signing her lease for Jamaica Lane I legitimately lost it shouting knowing the next book was about her. Even better was calling it from towards the ending that her love interest is Nate, Cam's best friend. This was EVERYTHING I could have hoped for in a second book, I mean it when I can't stand it. Joss and Braden and Ellie and Adam and Elodie's Sunday lunches - everything I loved from book 1 carried into book 2. Just, just read this series. I don't know what else to say about it.
Talk Bookish To Me: Kate Bromley, 2021
Kara Sullivan knows all about love - well, mostly from romance books, but she writes all the best parts of it. Except, lately she's been stumped on her latest book which is quickly approaching deadline day. If that weren't enough to stress about, her best friend's wedding is around the corner and guess who just happens to be the groom's best friend since childhood? None other than her first and only love from college, Ryan Thompson. They didn't end well and have had ten years to deal with the fallout. But one deal with the bride lands them in the same apartment for a week. What could possibly go wrong? Or maybe right?
Y'all. YALL. I CANNOT with this story. It was amazing. Top to bottom, start to finish, I couldn't put it down. Which was a good thing since I had basically one day to read it before it was due back at the library through the Libby app. It was funny, sarcastic as hell, fast paced. It has all the makings for a perfect book turned movie plot. The secret Ryan is keeping was predictable and then also with a twist like a knife right to the chest. The story had me so sucked in, I found myself asking what I would do in Kara's situation. Her trip to Italy took me back to all my fun days running around Rome in college, and then the ending was just heart clutching good. IT'S A MUST READ FOR ME.
It Happened One Summer: Tessa Bailey, 2021
Piper Bellinger has it all; money, looks, fame, until she doesn't. Known for being an LA party girl, Piper decides to thrown an illegal rooftop pool party after her latest breakup and her stepfather has had enough. Cut off for three months, Piper is sent back to her original roots to costal Washington. Along with her younger sister, Hannah, the girls reconnect to a life they barely remember before their father was swept away at sea as a fisherman and their mother fled to the Hollywood hills to forget it all. No one thinks she'll last, least of all town local and favorite, Brendan Taggart. Captain Brendan Taggart that is. The two immediately clash, but there's just something about Piper that he can't say no to. Maybe Piper should have headed her mother's advice about being careful around the manly fishermen a little harder. Or maybe, Piper has finally found the place where she belongs.
I have tried to get my hands on this book since the beginning of summer or I think even before that because of a few authors I follow talking about it. Now I know why it was so hard to get a copy from the library. I had to laugh because it's another fairly spicy book masquerading behind a cute illustrated cover. I'm not mad about it! But...fair warning! You know I have an infinity for Scottish men lately, but surly fishermen I can get behind if they're like Brendan. I...speechless. I don't know what part I loved more, him joining instagram just to see her account, him building her a pergola, or him being concerned while he's away that she's eating the wrong takeout. I was literally whooping and fist pumping when Piper admitted she loved him first and when I read the final page and then saw that next March there's going to be a sequel for her sister and Fox I actually screamed "YES!" I am in a word, obsessed.
]]>August has come and gone and all I really learned from this month is that I will do almost anything that it takes to pack up and move to Scotland in the near future after reading not one, not two, but three books by Samantha Young. Honestly, it's on me. But also, she's just *so* good at writing! There wasn't a book club pick this month, but that didn't mean I didn't make it through six books this month (you can thank two Samantha books for that rounding out the last two days of August). Let's get into them!
Here With Me: The Adair Family Series Book 1: Samantha Young, 2021
I talked about it a few months ago in the June wrap-up podcast when I read Much Ado About You, but I love Samantha Young. I had at the time only read Fight or Flight in 2019 but then fell back in love all over with Much Ado About You. THEN I found this new family series. And when I say FIRE off the pages...read it if you like spicy, Scottish, enemies to lovers, murder mystery books!
Meet Robyn and Lachlan. They hate each other. Robyn is traveling to Scotland for the first time in her life to reunite with her father that she hasn't seen in 16 years, and she holds a lot of animosity for his employer, the ex-Hollywood actor Lachlan Adair. Before they can reconcile the past, Mac is attacked and narrowly avoids dying. Now Robyn has another reason to stay in Scotland - finding her father's attacker. It's just a shame that Lachlan also can't seem to keep his hands off of her in the meantime. They embark on an extremely passionate, no-strings-attached, affair but can they stay that way? And what will happen when the attacker turns their attention on Robyn?
I don't know where to start with this one. One, it's the third mystery book I've read this year and while I did spoil it for myself (it's what I do), I still think I would have been shocked yet not surprised by who the stalker is? Lachlan and Robyn absolutely HATE each other - it's a true enemies to lovers story, but the animosity that you can feel radiating off the pages quickly turns to passion and I'm not gonna lie to you, it is up there on the spicy side. But when I tell you that I couldn't put this book down! Wouldn't change a single page out of it's 528 pages. Read it. Trust me.
There With You: The Adair Family Series Book 2: Samantha Young, 2021
Can we all send praise to Samantha for not leaving us on a cliffhanger for book two?? THANK YOU! Now, I honestly don't know who I love more, Lachlan or Thane. When I told Samantha on instagram that I was forcing myself to read my other TBR from the library first, she said she hoped Thane was worth it. HE WAS. HE ABSOLUTELY WAS. Okay. Let's discuss!
Rolling straight off the pages of the epilogue in Here With Me, we meet Regan, Robyn's younger stepsister. Regan hasn't been seen in 18 months since Robyn had been shot, and there's a lot of tension and catching up to be had. Regan meanwhile, has her own secrets and fears and she's going to do whatever it takes to make it up to Robyn. What a better way to stay and prove herself than to become Thane's, Lachlan's widowed, younger brother, new nanny and housekeeper? She immediately bonds with Eilidh and Lewis and will do anything, and I do mean anything, to protect them. There's just one, okay two, problems; Thane can't get over his past trust issues his wife Fran left him with, and he can't bear to think about the village talk surrounding the fact that Regan is 13 years his junior. But when it's true love, what can you do?
GUYS. THIS BOOK. ALL THE SHOUTY CAPITALS BECAUSE I CANNOT CONTAIN IT. I honestly, and I mean honestly, feel wrecked for reading another book the rest of this year. This is absolutely a book and a series that I could easily put on repeat until I have the words memorized. When Thane starts calling Regan "mo leannan" (spoiler alert: my beloved) I MELTED. If it weren't for the fact that no one in America would ever pronounce it right, I'd name a daughter Eilidh (pronounced A-lay) in a heartbeat. Guess that means I need to pack it up to Scotland! Also meet and marry a Scottish man, but one step at a time okay? Just...read this book. Just read it. Read Here With Me and then read this one. That's all I can say.
On Dublin Street: Samantha Young, 2012
Just when you thought I was out of Samantha Young books to review this month! Ha! I actually read this between The Adair family books and it made getting to Thane's book even easier because I couldn't put it down! It was her first book published and it just celebrated it's 9th year so that makes this one even better for reading it now.
Meet Braden and Jocelyn. Braden is used to getting what he wants and Jocelyn is still dealing with the effects of losing her parents and baby sister eight years prior. After finally deciding to give their undeniable attraction a go, will Jocelyn take the time to repair her past damage to move on completely with her life?
This book actually sizzles with chemistry. Braden and Joss are such a dynamic duo and I loved their chemistry and dynamic. Joss has a lot of past to push through and deal with and I think she ultimately handles everything in ways that fit her age maturity at the time. Did it make me want to rip my hair out at points? Yes. But she has a fabulous therapist that basically echos the reader's frustrations which helps. Plus, it helps that Braden is extraordinarily patient with her, especially at the end. This one is a 10/10 for me and I already requested the next book in this series which ties into the first when we dive into Jo, Joss' bartending friend's story.
The Flatshare: Beth O'Leary, 2019
I get why The Flatshare was Beth's renowned book now (mostly because I've read it now). Having finished all three of her books over the last few months, I truly did save the best for last. The Flatshare is funny, witty, sad, hopeful - all of it all at once wrapped up like a big hug.
Tiffy needs a new place to live. Leon needs money to help pay for his brother's lawyer after he's sent to prison under a wrongful conviction. Enter the flatshare idea. Leon works nights and is with his girlfriend on the weekend, so he'll only ever be around when Tiffy is at work. Why not share a flat and a bed? Tiffy can't afford much, so it's the perfect solution for both of them. Following her best friend, Gerty's rule number 1 of flatsharing - don't sleep together, all is well for Tiffy and Leon. They write notes back and forth about mundane everyday things and eventually bigger things, until they feel like they really know one another. That is, until they actually meet and its instant attraction. Things just got more complicated...but in a good way, they hope.
I loved this book. I actually spaced out because I didn't want it to end because I loved their story. Beth has this fantastic way of writing fun, cute stories but mixing it in with really hard topics. Tiffy's ex is a gaslighting, stalker who ultimately becomes unhinged at the thought that Tiffy really is done with his manipulations, and Leon's grief and struggle over trying to help his brother out of prison is so commendable it makes your heart swell. It had a great friend dynamic as well from supporting cast and the mixup in writing styles between Tiffy's extroverted life and Leon's "less is more" way with words kept the book entertaining. Plus all the post it notes. There's just something about the written word. 10/10. So happy that I learned about Beth this year through this reading journey.
Make Up Break Up: Lily Menon, 2021
Make Up, Break Up by Lily Menon is her first book and personally for me a 4/5. I read it in two and a half days and found myself laughing out loud a lot. The Goodreads reviews of it were pretty harsh in my opinion, seeing as how I have several DNF books piling up now.
What makes for a better story than rivaling app developers? Annika and Hudson are both young, both from LA, and both in the world of online dating apps. They just happen to be on opposite ends of the spectrum of said apps. Where Annika wants to bring the world together with Make Up, Hudson is set to break the world up with Break Up. After a short, week-long fling in Las Vegas the prior summer, where Annika told Hudson all about her ideas for Make Up, they meet again in the same office building this time. Only now, Hudson's app Break Up is soaring the charts and reaching record success, and Annika's? Well, it still hasn't launched yet. She can't get past his shallow app, and he'll do almost anything to make her see she was wrong for ghosting him in Vegas.
I honestly liked the book, but realize the major plot holes of said storyline. My biggest two issues (because I can't outright love every book I ready) is that one, her app is an actual fantasy. Way too complex to ever be something viable. Two, the middle gets so drawn out that the ending is crammed into the last five pages that feels very The Hating Game and Shipped ending. Sometimes, we could do with a bit less middle story and a little more fleshed out ending. That said, I still recommend reading the book if enemies to lovers is your thing. Although, again, for me it's not true enemies to lovers because Hudson (and in this case Annika) clearly still has feelings for her through the whole book while she spends half of it trying to hate him.
Beach Read: Emily Henry, 2020
I think we all know that People We Meet On Vacation wasn't it for me, and seeing as how that was my introduction to Emily Henry, I was pretty skeptical about Beach Read. But I shouldn't have been! Beach Read was everything I could have hoped for in it, and I find myself still thinking about it.
January is heading to Michigan for the first time in her life, to a home she's never seen, that belonged to her father...and his mistress. Reeling from his sudden death and the revelation that he had cheated on her mother while she was undergoing chemo treatments no less, has shocked romance writer January to her core. So it shouldn't be shocking that her new next door neighbor would be none other than Gus, the boy from college she almost hooked up with once, and always thought looked down on her. Because, well, he's a writer too, but not the fun romance kind. Both dealing with writer's block and deadlines, they decide to swap writing genres for the summer. Whoever sells their book first wins. There's just one rule: January isn't allowed to fall in love with Gus.
This. Book. Josie Silver got the front cover blurb and wrote that it was "a breath of fresh air...steamy, smart, and perceptive" and she couldn't have been more accurate. I couldn't put this book down. Every page sucked me in more and by the end I was clutching my chest while metaphorically melting into a puddle because Gus makes the big grand gesture. I'm actually really happy that I read this one after PWMOV because I had no preconceived notions for it and ended up loving it.
]]>Let's start with the book club pick this month:
And Now you're Back: Jill Mansell, 2021
If you've listened to the podcast at all when I talk about books, you already know that I love Jill Mansell. She's definitely my favorite go-to author when someone wants a recommendation on a fast, fun read. Her newest book, And Now You're Back sits at 370 pages and follows Jill's regular writing model - several characters with extensive backgrounds that somehow intertwines with at least three other characters.
Meet Shay and Didi. They fell in love during a birthday trip for a high school friend to Venice 13 years ago. But, things go horribly wrong a few months later and Shay disappears. Thirteen years later, he's shown back up to fulfill the dying wish of his father and fix up their house (and his not so secret wish that Shay and Didi will get back together.) There's just one problem; Didi is engaged to be married that winter. Will they find their way back to each other?
Obviously you know that answer is going to be yes, but it's HOW they end up back together that left me a little lackluster. I absolutely loved the overall story, the other characters of the town (I mean, I think we all know how I feel about small English villages), and how the overall events play out. But unlike 98% of Jill's other books, I just couldn't get into this book fully. Usually by page three I'm so invested I can't put the book down. This time it took me nearly a week to finish because the pacing just didn't work for me. That said, I'd still recommend it to anyone needing a fun (yet this one is also somewhat emotional) beach read.
Moving on to all the other books this month!
The Switch: Beth O'Leary, 2020
After reading her latest book, The Road Trip last month, I couldn't wait to pick up another book by Beth O'Leary as I'd never heard of her before that. Unlike The Road Trip, The Switch was a little shorter at 336 pages and something you could easily read in a weekend like I did.
Meet Leena and her grandmother Eileen. They, along with Leena's mother are still dealing with the after effects of the loss of Leena's sister Carla from cancer the previous year. After Leena suffers from a panic attack at work, she's sent on a two-month paid sabbatical to rest and clear her head. Something that work-obsessed Leena can't comprehend until she goes to visit her 79 year old grandmother Eileen in her tiny Yorkshire village (didn't I just mention British authors and tiny English village?) Eileen is trying to get back into dating, but that can be hard when there's only six eligible men in your age range. That's when Eileen decides to "Eileen" the situation. Why don't they trade places for two months? She'll go to London to date, and Leena can take a break in the country and help plan their May Day celebration.
I loved this book. Beth's writing in this book felt a lot like Jill's books but also with the heavier elements of grief and life after loss. I absolutely loved Eileen and only wish I could tell my own grandma who passed away three years ago now all about it. The sign of good writing is when you have such a visceral reaction to a moment that you actually yell out to the book, and this book had a few of those moments.
How To Love Your Neighbor: Sophie Sullivan, 2022
Where do I start? I guess I'll start by saying thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me an advanced reader copy. I could not put this book down and I cannot WAIT for you all to get a chance to read it when it officially hits bookshelves next January. When I realized this was a semi-sequel to her first book (under this pen name) Ten Rules For Faking It, I actually screamed.
Meet Noah Jansen, older brother to Chris from Ten Rules. He's officially all set up in California now and looking to make a new name for himself on the West Coast in his real estate business. What he wants more than anything though is to add a swimming pool to his own home, which means buying and demolishing the property next door. There's just one small issue, and her name is Grace. She's unlike any woman he's ever met before, which is a good thing and also his worst nightmare. Not only will she not sell him her house, but she's also a design student that ends up working on his house. This enemies-to-lovers book is so comprehensive, I feel like they're real and I need more.
I honestly don't have enough good things to say about this book. Noah and Grace are the perfect enemies to lovers combo and the chemistry absolutely jumped off the page (but in a behind closed doors way). I was laughing, I swooned, I wanted to slap Grace at times - I just couldn't get enough. Mark this down as a pre-order so you can start your 2022 with it. You won't be disappointed.
Finlay Donovan Is Killing It: Elle Cosimano, 2021
There is a REASON this book is in the "best books of 2021 so far" category on Amazon. Do not sleep on this book. The first 20-ish pages were a little stressful for me because I'm a millennial and people stressing about money stresses me out, but once I got past that, I was absolutely hooked.
Meet Finlay, a stressed-out single mom going through a custody battle with her ex-husband who cheated on her with their real estate agent. After he let's their nanny go without telling her, and threatens for full-custody, she shows up late to a Panera to meet with her literary agent. Did I mention she's a romance killer author? It's a pretty important detail, until it isn't. During lunch, she's mistaken as an actual contract killer from a wife who wants her husband taken care of. Offering $50,000 she's offered Finlay her way out of deep holes. But surely Finlay couldn't go through with it, right? She doesn't...until she kind of does. Also, surprise! The nanny her ex fired, shows up and sees her trying to give CPR to a dead man in the garage. What's Finlay to do?
This book is a perfect combination of I Love Lucy hijinks with modern day technology and love triangles. For a mystery killer book, I didn't know what to expect after I'd heard everyone and their mother gush over this book, but I get it now. The final page leaves you on an absolute cliff-hanger and I can hardly wait for next April for the sequel.
The Hating Game: Sally Thorne, 2016
Y'ALL. Y'ALL. HOW?! HOW DID Y'ALL LET ME SLEEP ON THIS BOOK FOR FIVE. YEARS. Honestly, that's the electric chair for all of you that read this and didn't tell me. That said, if you're like me and you haven't read this book, run do not walk to grab this book.
Meet Lucy and Joshua. They hate each other. Or do they? Well, Lucy may hate Josh, but Josh most certainly only loves her. Guys, I'm sorry I'm already squealing as I'm typing this out. A new position has been announced at the office and both are clearly in the running to win it. But before anything can happen there, they have to help each other out a little. First, Lucy comes down with a virus and Josh ends up taking care of her, and in return, Lucy promises to be his date to his brother's wedding. After her illness weekend, she starts to see Josh in a new way, but can they make a real relationship work?
*Le sigh* *Big big big massive sigh*. Guys...I don't have words. Truly. When I gushed about Shipped by Angie Hockman, everyone said it was like The Hating Game met The Unhoneymooners, and they weren't wrong. It also reminded me a bit of People We Meet On Vacation (which would have taken this scene from THG) when Poppy gets sick before a vacation and Alex takes care of her, which was one of my only favorite parts of PWMOV. The ending completely shocked me and honestly was a bit rushed in my opinion. As in, I read it, screamed, "WAIT WHAT?!" and then it was just over and I flipped back saying, "WAIT.....WHAT?!" But I loved it. Definitely buying this one. Loved it.
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me: Mariana Zapata, 2016
The last book I made it through in July was actually a book my friend Heather sent to me on Kindle unlimited because she's been begging me to read it since probably 2016 when it came out. This book...first of all, it's 672 pages, yes. You read that correctly. Second of all, this book was nothing like what I thought it was going to be, but in a really good way (?).
Meet Vanessa and her boss, Aiden, the top defensive end in the NFO (a fictional NFL?). What started as a temporary job turned into a two-year stint as an underappreciated assistant. But all of that is behind her now, as she's officially quit and going out on her own as a graphic designer. Then the unthinkable happens; Aiden shows up on her doorstep saying he wants her back. Not only as his assistant, but also his wife. Yeah. He wants permanent status in America and he needs a wife to make that happen faster. How do you turn down the man who gets everything, known as The Wall of Winnipeg?
Honestly, I don't know if Love On The Sidelines on Hallmark copied this book or if Mariana copied the movie for her book, but either way I'm not mad about it. As much as I love Love On The Sidelines, I also really liked this book. It's incredibly long, more than double than the regular books I've been speeding through this year, but I read it in about two and a half days, so it's definitely a fast read. I figured it would be a pretty spicy book but surprisingly, it's an incredibly slow burner where nothing happens until literally the very end. Seriously, if Hallmark were a book that added some spice. All of that said, it's a very comprehensive book (which it should be for how many pages it is) and the relationship was really very sweet. Heather, this one's for you - you were right.
]]>Gentle reader, is there anything better than a Sunday morning, reading through the gossip papers while drinking your tea?
I took it upon myself to help you out in your Sunday reading by condensing all of the best of Whistledown for you!
If you're like me and are obsessed with the thought of these sweet gossip papers, you can grab an editable PDF version like I did from Macarons For Breakfast on Etsy.
But, if you're not one to take hours of your life to type out all the best of the Whistledown columns from the books (or if you can't even get your hands on the books in paperback form), you're in luck!
Click the links below to grab some excerpts from Whistledown from:
Simon and Daphne (Season 1): The Duke & I
Anthony and Kate (upcoming season 2): The Viscount Who Loved Me
All you need to do is click the files to print, then you can glue or use scrapbook double-sided tape to paste them together.
Or, you can check out my sped up version below.
@sockbunstudios Please enjoy all my hard work for free 😅 you’re welcome ##bridgertonmusical ##bridgerton ##bridgertonedit ##DoritosFlatLife ##bridgertonnetflix
♬ thank u, next (Piano Ver.) - ring of piano
Happy gossip reading, dear readers!
]]>My dear readers, it has come to my attention that we're all binge watching Bridgerton on Netflix and may have fallen just a bit in love with it. I admit, parts of it are extremely cringe-y (you know what I'm talking about). But it is hard not to get swept up in the beautiful scenery and color pallets. While most ladies then donned feathers and tiaras in their hair, I'd like to believe if scrunchies were an item, some of these might have been on their wrist between quadrilles:
Daphne Bridgerton is someone constantly in blue. The Dragonfly Kisses scrunchie would be most fitting for her.
For Hyacinth Bridgerton, the beautiful lilac colored shabby chic floral scrunchie fits perfectly.
The English Strawberry scrunchie would be a top contender in the Featherington household where bold colors reign supreme.
The eyelet scrunchie would be another top seller at the local Modiste.
Now, dear readers, I shall retire to the living room where I can scheme up ways to marry a duke in 2021.
Until next time,
(xoxo)
Lady Whistle....Sarah
]]>I have this thing about vision boards. Do I think they hold magical powers? No. But somehow - they seem to know. This is my fourth year of pre-new year's vision boarding and while it was my hardest (thanks 2020 uncertainty) I'm still hopeful that the things I hope I can work towards in the new year.
Making them is so easy I was able to make it into a one minute TikTok video you can find at Sock Bun Studios. But if you're here from Pinterest (there's been approximately 180 thousand of you so far in the last 30 days), I'm here to help!
First you need these things:
Second, you need to think of your word that you want . Just make it one word that you can put right in the middle of your board. Past words I've used are; intentional, balance, content. Then you'll need to think of 5-8 other words that you want to work on - think of those as your resolutions list items.
Once you have your words, you need to find your photos. If you're not coming from Pinterest, here's a link to my board I have many of my quotes and photos for my boards.
You'll need to fill four pages of regular 8.5x11 paper to fill the board. Once you have that, print your pages and cut out your images and place on your board.
I prefer to put the word in the middle and branch out from there because your smaller words and the photos are what help you achieve the main word you've chosen. Once you have everything in place, make sure to take a photo so that as you move things around to glue down, you can reference back if need be!
Go ahead and then glue them down! The first year I used rubber cement but since I've used Mod Podge, which you'll need a foam brush for.
Here's a look back at my other boards for some extra inspiration:
(the 2020 board I forgot to chop in half, so this is a look at a full poster board sized vision board)
Happy vision boarding! I hope 2021 is the beginning of good things again for all of us. And until then, stay safe.
xoxo
Sarah
]]>Hello lovelies! How are we feeling out there? I'm going to be honest - I had a pretty normal week but the weekend hit me hard. Ohio is no officially on "Stay At Home" orders and all non-essential shops are officially closed (although most of them have been closing over the last few days.) It was hard from a small business perspective. How can I keep an online shop going if I can't go to the shops to get my supplies? How do I get my supplies online to keep costs down when Amazon cuts off third-party retailers for the time being?
And then there was the knowledge that there's so many medical professionals out there risking their lives to help us that don't have the protective equipment they need. How do we help them if we can't get to fabric, elastic, thread? Saturday was a hard day.
But here's the beauty of hard days - they push you to something better. By Saturday late late afternoon I had a full plan in place for the shop and for the masks and Sunday my mom (aka the best unpaid assistant ever) worked on a mask pattern I had found and got it down to a science. When I talked to her on the phone Monday she had over 20 halfway done. I made one last run to Hobby Lobby before they closed at 8pm to grab more materials and I think I can safely say that we'll be able to help quite a few people with masks they so desperately need.
Now it's Tuesday and I'm ready to get back in a good headspace - which isn't always the easiest to do, I get it. That's why I want to share a few things I found super helpful this weekend and today to lift my spirits.
First - The Family Disney website and Youtube channel is TOP notch in relaxation and fun ideas. As a nanny to two children 5 and under, it can be hard to find things both can do at the same time. But, they absolutely loved the Disney yoga session (today they chose the Lion King) and the DIY tutorial videos. In fact, I've got my eye on a few great ideas I plan to grab from my home craft room and do with the.
Second - A new coloring sheet is here! You can click HERE to grab your newest Sock Bun Studios coloring sheet - Quarantine Hair Don't Care. I LOVE this design. So much. So much. I love it so much that I'm actually going to give you a bonus extra sheet HERE which I left blank at the top. Print it out, color it, throw it in a frame and you've got a solid new piece of artwork!
Third - Podcasts! Outside of my killer playlist I shared in the last Quarantine Diaries (snag it HERE) I love listening to podcasts to take my mind off of the daily news cycle. My absolute FAVORITE podcast is out of England called Shagged, Married, Annoyed. You can also find them on Spotify if you don't have iTunes. I was laughing so hard at their latest episode on the drive back Sunday that I nearly forgot how I cried in the middle of a JoAnn's and in my car three times on Saturday. Chris and Rosie are hysterical and keep it incredibly real.
Another great podcast is from my internet friend Samantha with She Read, He Said. If you love books, you'll love her podcast because she's ALL about reading and giving book recommendations!
Maybe you're taking part in a good re-binge during this time? Let me introduce you to Binge Mode - another one of my favorite podcasts. I got introduced to them during the final season of Game of Thrones (I tried to link it directly but go to wherever you listen to podcasts and search Binge Mode Game of Thrones to get just GoT to show up) which was TOP NOTCH content each week but they've also previously done Harry Potter and most recently Star Wars.
That's all for tonight guys, I hope you're staying safe, staying at home as much as possible and getting fresh air whenever you can! I love you all!
XOXO
S
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Hey everyone! How's it going? I know that social distancing in this time can be hard, and I know everything is changing between morning and night but first I want to say - we're going to get through this. Second - I want to help with the boredom and anxiety!
I spent today creating a few fun things to help pass time and keep spirits up. First I went ahead and made a twelve HOUR long playlist of music that you suggested and my ultimate dance favorites to break up your day and maybe introduce you to some new artists. You can find it HERE on Apple Music.
Next, I drew my first ever coloring sheet! I'm kind of in love with this and I hope you guys love it too because I can't wait to work on some other fun scrunchie and 90s inspired designs. Of course for the first design I had to make sure this scrunchie fam knows we're all in this together!
You can CLICK HERE for the PDF version to print.
Make sure you're on the Instagram page to find daily tips during this quarantine time! Keep washing those hands, stay at home as much as possible and spread positivity not germs.
XOXO
- S
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