It's been a minute since my last Manicure Monday post, and probably almost a year since I did a post about any brand other than Olive & June. I don't know what sparked my interest in these nail polishes again, maybe a TikTok video or beauty editor, but I caught the Gel Couture bug.

My mom took notice because she included a few colors in my Easter basket and I've been wearing them non stop. There's just something about the shininess of an Essie polish that looks so glamorous and put together. Olive & June still has my heart but I've been enjoying the variation.

 Hello from my couch! I'm taking it slow this weekend as I prepare for my first trip to Europe. This time next week I'll be exploring the streets of London but first, I have to get through the anxiety it's giving me. I always get so nervous before I have to travel, even if it's just for a night or two, so my first trip overseas and the longest flight ever will surely make for an interesting time.

I had a bit of an off week anyways; I might have to move from my apartment and it just came as a big surprise, so the past few days have been a little stressful. I'm trying to remain positive and optimistic that everything will work out, because it always does. 

The weekend is hopefully going to treat me right and I can rest, clean, and relax before another busy week & travel. We'll see what it brings. Let's get into the roundup!

I'm behind schedule in hitting my goal of reading 50 books this year and that's because I have been basically forcing myself to read books that have been in my library for too long versus reading what I think genuinely interests me. 

I've also had a hard time getting into books, paying attention, and generally just finding something that clicks with me. I'm also not reading as fast as I usually do which I guess is a good thing because I do tend to read  way too fast.

All of that being said, I learned that it's ok to give up on books you don't think you're vibing with, but it's also ok to admit you made a mistake. That's exactly what happened with Finding Mr. Write. 

This new novel from Kelley Armstrong will be released on June 25th but thanks to Netgalley, I had an ARC and recently finished reading it. 

At first, I wasn't convinced that this book was for me but as it continued, and I got more familiar with the characters, I was obsessed. It's one of the best 'rom-coms' I've read in a while and I highly recommend it, especially if you love books about authors. 

It's no secret that I love accessories; they make my world go round and my wish to have every single object of my heart's desire.

As of late, that desire is a vanity case. I don't know if there have just been too many pictures floating around on Pinterest of beautiful, messy vanities overflowing with designer makeup and luxury accessories, but I can't get a vanity case out of my head.

I want to replicate those photos and have a sleeker, more sophisticated way to both hold and display my makeup both at home and traveling. I've been very into vanity cases lately and have been lusting after so many different designer ones...from Celine and Louis Vuitton to contemporary brands under $100. 

I've been very into the vintage aesthetic lately and vanity cases fit that perfectly. These are the ones that I've had my eye one and maybe one of them will be mine soon.

Hello there... it's been a minute, hasn't it? I haven't gone an entire week without a post in a long time and it was needed. Last weekend was incredibly busy and so much fun, and then the week just got away from me so no blog posts were written. 

I've also just been a little uninspired lately and obsessively thinking about what I should do; should I stay on the blog? Should I move to Substack? Is social media even worth it anymore? I've been having an existential crisis which feels very on brand, but also off brand because I don't think I've ever struggled with this part of my life before.

I've always loved creating, but now I wonder why am I doing it? Am I being authentic to myself and my interests? Am I doing it because everyone else is doing it...even though I was doing it first back in 2012? 

Ever since I got my Instagram taken away last March it's never felt the same and I hate that so much. I don't want that to be the case but it's a hard pill to swallow.

Sometimes it feels like I'm just writing to myself and that's hard too... I thought I'd have a little success by now and I guess I'm just living in my pity, comparing myself to everyone else, which I know is no good.

That being said, the show will go on as usual but I did pivot my Substack to not be so pop culture focused and a little more open ended, so make sure to follow me there as well. 

Let's get into the roundup!

Happy April! I cannot believe how fast time is flying, but at the same time it does feel sort of slow which I'm grateful for. 

April is going to be so busy and it's starting to stress me out. My Oura Ring has been telling me for the past week that I've had stressful days and no matter how hard I try I can't seem to relax. I need to find a balance so I can try to function and prepare for everything happening over the next few weeks.

I also have been feeling confused about the blog, social media, and my writing. I have been obsessed with Substack lately and I really want to try to expand my writing beyond the blog, but on my own terms. I tried a pop culture Substack but that doesn't seem to be working out so I want to pivot. I want to indulge myself in the things that interest me and that I love reading about so we'll see what happens.

I've just had a lot on my mind and I need to sort it all out.

This weekend will be a fun one; I'm off from work today for some doctors appointments and errands, tomorrow I have a bridal shower and then Sunday is brunch for my friends' birthdays. 

Let's get into the roundup!

Ever since I read Rachel Kapelke-Dale's debut's novel "The Ballerinas", I've been enamored with the worlds she creates and how she writes. She combines literary fiction with niche hobbies and occupations, and it's truly fascinating. There's always a conflict but it feels like that conflict is a sub plot to the main character finding their voice, and their path. 

I reviewed her last novel, The Ingenue, last year and was delighted when I received an ARC of her latest book, The Fortune Seller, I was delighted. It was released on February 13th and I read it very recently. It was an interesting book and I liked it a lot better than The Ingenue, but maybe not as much as The Ballerinas. 

It was intense, interesting, and maddening in so many ways.