wearing lately: feeling like me

The combination of early pregnancy physical symptoms and body changes (aka not fitting into a majority of my wardrobe rather quickly) had me feeling quite blah for a while there, but I'm very happy to report that thanks to that golden 2nd trimester boost + this striped top that I dug up from my first pregnancy, I am feeling so much more like my usual self these days.

I feel like most actual maternity clothing, aside from some of the dresses, is stuff I would NOT go for in regular life - it's either really oversized/flowy/shapeless, or it's these blouses with tie backs that look so mumsy to me. Maybe it's partly that I'm really used to cropped silhouettes now, or at least always doing a half-tuck with any longer shirt, and the fact that maternity tops are unable to be either of those things, out of necessity. 

So I was feeling a bit pessimistic about the possibility of feeling stylistically myself until something like June when it's finally warme enough to wear cute t-shirt dresses - but then with this top + cooperative mild weather, I was able to put on an outfit that I would totally wear even if it didn't involve maternity items (and if you would too, I have plenty of maternity and non items linked above to recreate it!). Ahhh, it felt SO good to feel like myself in this way again - this is already the 3rd time I've sported this ensemble. 

As for feeling physically myself... I mean, there's no way to feel 100% that in pregnancy. It is a full-body takeover after all. But that first trimester really is a bit of a bugger in feeling not oneself. I'm lucky to not have major nausea or any throwing up as part of my pregnancies, but the exhaustion and just feeling general ick was real, and this 2nd time around there was so much cramping early on that didn't feel nice plus made me feel really anxious. Then there's all the weird hormone stuff to make a lady feel just off: feeling out of breath after one flight of stairs, getting dizzy if I stood up too fast, having to get up every night to pee, . Plus time just draaaaags on when it's too soon to tell others the news yet.

Thank goodness for the 2nd trimester when the energy levels come back a bit, when we can enjoy sharing the news with others, start feeling the fun baby kicks (even Hendrik has been able to feel it, and he was so excited), when time goes back to normal speed (already 20 weeks and had the big anatomy scan ultrasound yesterday!) - and now I can remember why it's a good thing to be doing all of this. Feels much more real and exciting, and I'm soaking in this sweet spot of feeling like myself before the third trimester sets in...

mini me Monday: Easter basket formulas + a tip

Putting together a little Easter basket for Hendrik is always fun, and I've developed a bit of a formula for making it (a) not too sugary and (b) not filled with junk that will get tossed aside: a little game, one candy, a small Lego, a book, and some fun socks. And how could I not think about what the little brother version would be? Not saying I'm going to buy these, since he's not even born yet, but it was still fun to imagine what else I'd add to my Target pickup order...

game | candy | small Lego | book | socks (booties)

Okay, okay. I did buy the book and the adorable little booties (I mean, they match the pants set!). But I'm making an Easter basket for Hendrik and for Peter but not myself, so there's the justification. Also I of course wouldn't put candy in a baby's Easter basket, but this counts as an eating for two situation - I most definitely did get a little package of my favorite Cadbury mini eggs. 

game | candy | small Lego | book | socks

As for Hendrik, he's going to enjoy these little goodies, I know - and even better, he's going to enjoy them with this printable scavenger hunt that I found (here's another option, or an easier one too). He'll work his way through the clues before finding his little bag at the end. 

We've done these now for Christmas, Valentine's Day, and heck even a random Saturday when he just needed something different to do. He loves figuring out the riddles, it is some great delayed gratification to make the prize even more fun, and it's super easy since I don't have to come up with any clues myself! Just cut out and hide - highly recommend a printable scavenger hunt.

five things Friday: springy thingies link love edition

Spring fever is always real, though it has got to be peak after a winter of snow + social distancing + first trimester-ing... So while Michigan can be a tease in terms of actual spring weather (i.e. it's back in the 40s now), a taste of light jackets, bare ankles, and time to enjoy scootering with Hendrik again has me ready to take in all things spring. Thus here are some springy thingies from around the internet that have me happily feeling those light and fresh seasonal feels this week:

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1. 18 fresh and flirty contemporary romance novels for your TBR: "fresh and flirty" is exactly the vibes that sound perfect for my reading life as sunny outdoor reading weather starts to come back... this list has a couple that I've breezed through and loved (Love Lettering, Boyfriend Material) and several more that are calling my name (especially Spoiler Alert and The Ex Talk).

2. Gin rickey cocktail recipe: also when you need something fresh, this simple recipe from Lovely Indeed with gin, lime, and sparkling water hits the spot and is my current pregnancy-friendly replacement for adult beverages by using the Ritual gin alternative we now stock in our bar area (also really enjoy a gimlet made with this non-alcoholic gin).

3. The cutest spring mom fashion finds from Target: because aren't we all feeling a little spring fever in our wardrobes? Some of these look like great dupes of higher end stuff, and even better for me, several look workable with a bump!

4. 14 cheerful décor finds to pull you out of a winter rut: maybe a little quirkier in some cases than my usual decor, but when it comes to something to freshen up your space after spending all winter in it, these picks made me smile.

5. Easter basket fillers for babies and kids: okay, maybe I just want an excuse to start buying more adorable baby things already, but this list just has so many cute things (and ones that will actually get use and love from kids, rather than just be throwaway trinkets). This list has a bunch of great little gift ideas to tuck away for the littler kids in your life in general though. Over here, given that we're still in a weird world and not gathering with family on Easter as usual, I'm thinking I will go a little bigger with Hendrik's basket than I might other wise, and this guide has even inspired me for bigger kid options that are both fun and useful, like a books, cool new water bottle, or fun PJs. Of course the Easter Lego selection, and am also thinking a cute mini Rubik's cube for my little analytical kid.

Happy weekend!

reading lately: secrets will out

Hands down, one of my favorite devices to move along a plot in a book is the unraveling of secrets. I of course love detective/mystery books for this, but it really can be done across a range of genres, and it pretty much always makes for juicy reading with some good reveals - because if there's anything fiction has taught me, secrets will always out! Here's a roundup of a few recent-ish ones in this vein:

Admission

If you followed the recent celebrity college admissions scandal in the news, you'll know the general gist of this story - in which the secret deals to get kids higher SAT scores or land essentially bribed positions in elite schools all come to light in a big media explosion. But in this YA book we get a bit more of a personal look at what it would be like to go through this from the perspective of one of the high school students. In alternating chapters of the present, in which her b-list actress mom has been arrested for the bribery/fraud, and the recent past, in which she was struggling through her college admissions process, we experience Chloe's shock at the secrets her parents kept from her about their involvement with her private college admissions coach, struggle with the media exposure and loss of friendships/life as she knew it, and come to terms with her own guilt in it all. It's an intriguing story, but it wasn't quite as unputdownable as I had hoped - not entirely sure why. In a way, none of the characters are very likeable as they take their position of privilege and just try to exploit that for even more privilege - feels kinda gross - but I thought Chloe's character was written such that I could start to understand where she was coming from in trying to convince herself that everything was fine even if deep down she knew that there was something false about what was going on with her new admissions coach. I think that's a pretty human tendency of self-preservation, especially in light of being a teen feeling such high expectations from parents about grades/colleges, and feeling such low self-esteem about being the "dumb one." The parents in the story, on the other hand? Still don't understand what would make them do such a thing, just as much as I don't understand the parents in the real-life news version of this story.

3.5/5 stars, picked up for intriguing story and also because I really loved Julie Buxbaum's Tell Me Three Things (which I recommend if you like YA!)

Clap When You Land

Camino Rios is a teenager in the Dominican Republic who lives with her aunt, and is always looking forward to summers when her father comes back from New York to visit; Yahaira Rios is a teenager in New York whose father is her favorite person. At the beginning of this book, they both learn that their father 's plane has crashed, all of the passengers dead. Readers realize the big secret - that their father is actually the same person - and gradually these girls themselves learn this too, uncovering the extent of their father's deceptions, covering the fact that he has two families. They both have to grapple with grief on many levels - losing a loved one and at the same time losing the image of who they thought that loved one was, now that they realize all of his secrets, losing trust in the other family members who kept the secrets from them, and maybe also losing the dreams for their futures now that their family's financial source is gone. As they meet each other and are both part of planning their father's funeral in the Dominican Republic, you get a really compelling story of grief, of growth, and of the bonds of sisterhood. This is a novel written in verse, which if you aren't used to reading will feel a little strange at first, with so many fewer words on the page, but after a while with the the beautiful flow and artistry of this writing, you won't even realize it - except for moments when you might have to stop and marvel at how this format really makes you feel the characters' emotions or experiences in a way that regular prose might not by changing your reading rhythm. Also loved how Acevdeo captures the two girls' individual voices so distinctly, in their alternating chapters, but also brings them together in this lovely new relationship after their (understandably) rocky start when they learn of the other's existence.

4.5/5 stars, convinced me that novels in verse are great (and now I've loved other ones like Brown Girl Dreaming and Solo thanks to Elizabeth Acevedo's work opening my eyes to the genre)

Shed No Tears

This is the third installment in a mystery series, so you've really got to start at the beginning rather than here. But I'm including it anyway because you should totally read this series, and also it's such a good example of my favorite kind of detective book with secrets: the kind in which the current case that the detective is dealing with runs up against and/or threatens to expose some secrets from her childhood. Think books like Tana French's Faithful Place or Liz Moore's Long Bright River (also love the parallel with Long Bright River in the strong female protagonist who has a great mentorship relationship with her older male detective partner). DC Cat Kinsella grew up in a family with ties to organized crime in London, so she knows the ins and outs of this world; she has always kept this secret from her colleagues and superiors at the Metropolitan Police, not to mention her boyfriend, but it always threatens to bubble to the surface when her past and present come close to intersecting. That backdrop of secrecy runs through all three books; in her current case, Cat and her partner Luigi Parnell have uncovered some questions about a serial killer case that everyone thought was closed 6 years ago. While they re-investigate, they find that there are many involved, both witnesses and police, who have secrets that they will do whatever they can to keep hidden... A great series if you like the procedural detective book that has really well-developed characters with good back stories and relationships, has interesting mystery cases with great pacing, and doesn't have too much violence/ickiness/scary scenes. The plot of this one, with the serial killer/cold case, also reminded me a lot of the latest installment of the Cormoran Strike series by JK Rowling, but this one was even better in my opinion, more tightly written.

4/5 stars, definitely recommend this series (starting with Sweet Little Lies) if you enjoy British mysteries in the Tana French/Susie Steiner vein, especially with female protagonists

The Cousins

Another YA pick, in a favorite sub-genre of mine, YA mystery: Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins who haven't seen each other since they were kids, given their parents' estrangement from each other, and from their wealthy grandmother, whom they've never met as she completely cut off ties with her children and disinherited them before the cousins were even born. But out of the blue they each receive a letter from their grandmother, asking them to come work on her private island resort for the summer, and their parents all think this would be the perfect opportunity to get back into her good graces, so they drop any other plans and head off to the east coast for the summer - where they quickly learn that the invitation wasn't about what they thought it was. They end up working together to figure out what's going on, realizing that there are more secrets in their family's history than they realized - and of course all the while each is keeping his or her own secret from the other cousins. With all of these secrets, the plot had some excellent and clever twists and turns that kept me surprised and interested, but in a really fun way rather than a stressful way of a real thriller. That's what I love about YA mystery - the story is twisty without being icky/scary (even if slightly unbelievable at times), the protagonists are often likeable (not exactly malicious, even if they do have secrets), and you just might get a little cute romantic interest thrown in there too... I whipped through this one, and it made for a very satisfying Saturday! 

4/5 stars, maybe competing with One of Us Is Lying for favorite selection from an author who got me into this sub-genre and is my ultimate go-to in it!

The Survivors

Jane Harper is so good at atmospheric, slow-burn mysteries - and she impresses me how each of her 4 books has an entirely different Australian landscape, which always weaves into the atmosphere of the story so well. This time, we're in a small, windswept coastal town where the sea can ravage lives with its storms - and it has done to Kieran's family, years ago, when his golden-boy older brother drowned while trying to rescue Kieran from some seaside caves, where he really shouldn't have been. The town, and of course Kieran's family, has been marked by this tragedy even if they don't speak of it - until a woman's body is found on the beach during the time Kieran and his young family are visiting. And as her death makes the tragedy of years ago be inspected in a new light, Kieran realizes that there are many secrets surrounding it, and perhaps all is not what it seemed, despite the heavy guilt he has carried all this time. A fairly slow burn, as we learn what the secrets of the town's past are and how they're going to unravel through the current-day tragedy, but for me it still moved along at a perfect pace. I also loved how the plot had a procedural mystery feel, despite the characters being ordinary people, not detectives; speaking of ordinary people, I enjoyed as well that despite the family secrets and tragedy, Kieran actually is a pretty well-adjusted guy, with a sweet relationship with his girlfriend and baby daughter. It gave a bit of a different feel to the story than your average thriller type book, making the character more relatable and real to me. Even if it wasn't my very favorite of Jane Harper's books (that's The Lost Man), I still read it within about 24 hours of starting. So... I say a satisfying mystery read!

4.5/5 stars, preordered as soon as I knew it was going to be a thing, because I'll read any and all Jane Harper

A couple of other books I recently read fit this category perfectly, especially the idea of how family secrets can perpetuate their effects down the generations, but unfortunately the writing/characters just didn't land for me: The Kindest Lie and Saving Ruby King. The books actually have decent parallels, so if you happened to enjoy one, you might check out the other. But I think for me, I felt in the reading that these were debut novels, so they just didn't dazzle the way some others on this list did...

Some other authors who are great at writing stories with unraveling secrets that I would recommend: Kate Morton (historical fiction that alternates with contemporary storylines, usually uncovering a family secret; especially liked The Forgotten Garden and The Lake House), Joshilyn Jackson (contemporary fiction; especially liked Never Have I Ever and The Almost Sisters), Liane Moriarty (of course Big Little Lies, but also Truly Madly Guilty fits this sub-genre well).

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wearing lately: spring arrivals

It has been many moons since I looked at Loft - I typically try to stick to just my go-to retailers for clothes and shoes, which right now is pretty much Madewell and Sorel or Rothy's, as it avoids temptation and decision fatigue. But in my earlier-than-expected arrival of needing maternity pants (I swear this bump is 3-4 weeks ahead of schedule on size compared to the first time!), I remembered that Loft has a few maternity offerings, and maybe they would actually have some petite bottoms - because apparently that's too much to ask in general, to have pants that fit a bump but aren't 4 inches too long. (I actually had to take a scissors to the Madewell pair!)

 

I lucked upon a major clearance pair of jeggings in a petite length and ordered them pronto. Maybe not 100% my go-to style of jeans right now (Madewell's stovepipe have been my winner of the last year, but those are put on the shelf for the months ahead), but they'll do!

I also couldn't help but browse some of their spring selections, many of which caught my eye, and many of which I can't wear right now. Did order this henley top because it looked like it would actually be long enough to give me some coverage, and it fits with my spring dreaming color palette so well - including my new spring masks (love the fit of these!) and my new purse purchase from last March that I've pretty much never gotten to use because now we don't go places. Except that now I have prenatal appointments, so that constitutes an occasion to dress up - and yes, this constitutes dressing up - put on a cute mask, and carry my purse. Miraculously, the arrival of the spring equinox also came with spring weather in Michigan, so it was fun to pull out these spring things!

Here are some of the other Loft spring arrivals that I just adored in my browsing but mostly can't wear right now - so someone else should get them and let me live vicariously...

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five things Friday: second pregnancy purchases edition

Okay, one more pregnancy-related post for the week, and then back to (mostly) regular programming around here - such as the backlog of books I have to review, after all of the winter weather and first trimester related feelings of never wanting to leave the couch! But I have to start with a note of appreciation for all of the lovely comments and messages I've received this week after sharing the news. Maybe I'll write more about it sometime, but suffice it to say, it's been a really long fertility journey for us to get to this point. We're feeling lucky and excited about where we've now landed (even if I still, almost 19 weeks in, have moments of shock that this is actually happening), and that has made it feel so special to finally share, and to receive such an outpouring of excitement and love in return.

 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Exciting as it is to be having another pregnancy, I've definitely learned already that the second time around is actually a first-time experience in and of itself... Here are a few things I found to be necessary purchases for the first trimester in a second pregnancy - a couple of which were a bit unexpected to me. 

• The first one is a purchase specific to the 2nd pregnancy wasn't exactly unexpected to me because I always thought it would be fun to sneakily tell grandparents the news of a new baby by dressing Hendrik in a "big brother" tee and just letting them figure it out. Which we still got to do... just over FaceTime. (My mom gave a very gratifying shocked face + jumping up and down reaction when she noticed what he was wearing.) I love the one I found on Etsy, plus the matching one for baby brother too of course. 
• The second required purchase on the list was a surprise to me - because turns out this time around I'm in the "advanced maternal age" bracket. Where they really go all-in on making you feel old by prescribing a daily baby aspirin. 
• Already mentioned the surprise of needing maternity pants in the first trimester - that didn't happen last time! - and glad to have found these Madewell jeans. 
• Stuff for the big sibling factored in to my pregnancy purchases again, as it is nice to have some materials to help explain the changes ahead to said sibling. At Hendrik's age (and level of scientific inquisitiveness) we thought an anatomy book would be a great way to explore what happens with bodies and making babies, and he loves it. Also have seen good things about this "where do babies come from" book for slightly younger audience. 
• And finally, an unwelcome surprise has been the insomnia and discomfort with sleeping that arrived a lot earlier. This giant pregnancy pillow hasn't solved all of my insomnia issues, but I am at least wayyyy more comfortable as I lie awake.

 

More exciting than these will be some fun baby purchases after the pregnancy part - though we have plenty of the big stuff still in our basement, or available to borrow from my sister, a new baby does require some of his own fresh clothes and bedding and such, right? (Yes, says my online ordering history of newborn outfit, blanket, and crib sheet...)

wearing lately: maternity jeans!

If you saw yesterday's post, you'll know that the kids (!) had a special new wardrobe addition recently. And actually, the mom required a new acquisition as well... Surprise - the jeans I have been wearing in the past several outfit posts are actually maternity jeans.

 

Turns out that the belly pops way faster when it comes to a second pregnancy, and normal pants became very uncomfortable for me by week 11-12. Living in leggings was easy enough to do for a while, since I don't really go out anywhere still (actually, quarentimes turn out to be an easy time to conceal a pregnancy in general when you're not ready to share it yet...), but when I got sick of those as my only pants option, I was pleased to find that my one regular source for jeans - Madewell - has maternity options. It's been rather a while since I was last pregnant, so I'm re-exploring many aspects of this arena, but pleased that I've got jeans covered already, and with my go-to brand to boot, so they fit me well.

 

Also turns out that I'm having to revise my wardrobe on the top half sooner than I expected to as well, because the style of clothing I have in my closet these days is much more of the cropped variety when it comes to sweaters and shirts than what I had last time around... just a couple of my sweaters are long enough to cover up the giant maternity panel on my jeans, but luckily this cozy-but-not-overly-wintery-for-March option still does the trick at 18 weeks - as does last week's striped option, which at 17 weeks made for a great "now you see it, now you don't" optical illusion. If you look closely, the bump is there!

Sharing on Trend Spin, Style Six.

mini me Monday: now even mini-er!

I used to love doing an occasional "mini me Monday" series with little kid style, and especially featuring Hendrik in a matching mini version of a bigger person's outfit (I mean, how could I not with ensembles like this and this?). He's aged out of all of that a bit by now, though he's indulging me with a photo for today - because he's getting a mini!

 

Yep, it's a long time coming, but Hendrik is going to be a big brother in August, and I couldn't pass up matching tees for the big and the little to share the news, first with the grandparents/family over Zoom, and now here! 

We told him just a few weeks ago, when I was about 14 weeks along, and he said, "cool!" which seemed like a good reaction to start. We're all going to have our worlds rocked a bit with a newborn arrival, but I can't wait to see what a great big brother and helper he will be. Just might have to do a little more of getting him used to the fact that it'll be quite some time before he can introduce little brother to Legos, one aspect he is already looking forward to...

five things Friday: it's been a year edition

It was a year ago, Friday the 13th, that I rushed home from meeting my new baby nephew in another state to do a final stock-up at Target and prepare for a few weeks of shut-down, which turned out to be... quite a year.

Much as we are wishing for more normalcy (date nights! family gatherings! wandering Target!), and we are still mourning the losses, big and small, for our personal lives and collective society (the appalling loss of life, down to the missing of grandparent hugs and holiday family gatherings) - I also feel lucky to be able to reframe the situation to think about the good of right now. Such as: Hendrik has been able to do in-person school for most of 2nd grade, which didn't feel like it was going to happen - and we're so grateful it did. Also, there's a VACCINE! Just barely to the 1-year mark of the shut-downs and already so many people have been able to get it (even though it feels like my turn might never come).

Along with these things, I was reflecting on 5 ways that our lives have changed in the last year that actually will have some staying power, to our benefit:

1. More quality family time outdoors: okay, we're kind of indoors people in a lot of ways, but not having anywhere to go, and having looooots of time to spend together, we really upped our outdoor time with family hikes/bird watching, kicking around a soccer ball in the backyard, and even having bonfire evenings. We'll definitely be keeping 

2. Curbside grocery pickup: it's weird to think back on those first couple of anxiety-ridden trips Peter took to the store in an N-95 mask, wiping down everything when he arrived home. After a couple of those, we switched to all curbside pickup. First, it felt safer, and now, still safer but also so. darn. convenient. I never minded grocery shopping before, but now I realize how much time I actually spent doing it - and I'm not going back!

3. Going with the flow: this has not ever been my strong point as a type-A person, but I've learned in the past year that I'm pretty capable of it, actually. All the uncertainty about when things will "get better" and reopen, the upheaval of having a kid at home/no childcare, the cancellation of lots of stuff, etc. helps me remember that I've seen uncertainty, and I was okay. I just feel a little less rigid overall because I had to give up my schedules and expectations, and that's not such a bad thing...

4. No more gym membership: I do miss some of the social aspects of going to a gym, and the access to tennis lessons/pool time for Hendrik, but really have found an even better exercise groove without the gym (once we acquired some equipment, that is). I can't imagine my life without the Peloton workouts at this point, the flexibility in time of day they give me, the way I can customize for what my body needs that day. I think I'm stronger than ever - AND I don't have to hunt for a parking spot any more!

5. More extended family/friend connection over Zoom/FaceTime: being together in-person is always better of course, but the happy hours and holiday gatherings and book clubs that we did online out of necessity, when it was the only way to see each other, have gotten us in the habit of actually connecting in this way. Seriously, I think I had used FaceTime like 5 times ever before last March, and now it's several times a week. Even when we're all vaccinated and hanging out with family/friends nearby again, that habit will serve well our relationships with people who don't live close enough to see regularly. 

How are you reflecting on the last year? Bittersweet to do so, of course - I highly recommend reading Kait's post on what she learned during the pandemic as she captures super well the paradoxes of it, with feeling lucky yet also grieving some of the changes, and with wanting normal life back yet feeling a bit of trepidation of losing some of what the new normal has turned out to be.

I'm also reminded of how nice it has been to have an online community as well - where we're already accustomed to connecting in ways that aren't in-person! So thanks for being here, and godspeed to all those vaccination distributors. 

wearing lately: compromise sweaters

March always has me dreaming of spring clothes, like in last week's roundup, but this time of year it's really about the "compromise sweaters." I think that for someone who lives in my type of seasonal climate, this is actually a legit entire wardrobe category: things that keep us warm but don't feel so darn WINTER, to get through the times when it feels like it should be spring but it's really not at all.

I actually save certain sweaters that are a little lighter colored or "happier" feeling for this time of year - bonus being that I have at least a couple of things in my closet I'm not totally sick of yet when March arrives. This one's actually a new acquisition though - still super warm and soft but changing up the color palette a bit from what I'd wear in December or January. Perfect for this time of nearing the true seasonal transition. 

Very happy to report though that I could actually comfortably wear my favorite flats for a couple of days recently. It'll be rain boots for a while from here, but I loved it while it lasted.

Sharing on Trend Spin, Style Six.

five things Friday: March TBR edition

I've been reading at a pretty quick clip in 2021, so I'll definitely read more than these 5 books, but as usual, I'm making a list of some that I want to make sure to get around to, while for the rest of the month I can read at my whim (which usually turns out to be whatever's shiny and new, of course).

 

 It's quite satisfying to make a book collage in coordinating colors for my the month's TBR - but these ones also have some specific intentions behind them as well: 

• The Kindest Lie is my February Book of the Month pick, and even though I'm very interested in reading it, somehow it just didn't happen yet. Got to do it before I can get another box! 
• Beyond the Point is a pick for a RAD Reading Challenge category, plus it's a library loan that means I have a deadline to read it soon... 
• The Masterpiece and The Song of Achilles are backlist titles that have been on my shelf for a while, so I'm going to be intentional about finally getting around to them - plus that'll be 2 checked off on my 2021 goal of reading at least 10 backlist books. 
• And finally The Scent Keeper is my book club's March pick, so that one's got a deadline too!

As for my February TBR reads, there were some great successes and a couple of just okay for mes.

• The Happy Ever After Playlist: Sloan is still in a major life rut, grieving the loss of her fiance, when 2 years later a cute musician's dog literally lands in her lap. Connecting the dog back with his owner leads to a bit of banter, and of course, things take off from there - especially after she finds out that he's actually a super famous indie musician (this was very swoony to me) who she really admires, while he just wants the taste of normalcy that talking with her brings. There was a bit of a lull in the action in the middle where I wasn't compelled to devour quite as quickly as the beginning/end, but I will definitely be picking up other books by Abby Jimenez! Just the kind of swoony and sweet, not toooo steamy, romance I like, with characters who have some heaviness in their past but grow beyond it because of each other - even a bit in the vein of Evvie Drake on this one, which is high praise for me. (The Friend Zone came out before this one - haven't read it, but didn't find that a problem in picking this one up first; also excited about the upcoming release of Life's Too Short.) ★★★.5 
• When Katie Met Cassidy: I appreciate a rom-com featuring different sexual orientations from what might be my normal reading, but unfortunately what I found about this one was that I don't as much appreciate a rom-com that has more of a sarcastic/snarky edge and lacks in sweetness. By the end the characters grew on me, but in general characters who are non-committal and sleep around/drink a lot prior to the relationship featured in the book just don't warm my heart in the way I want a romance to...  ★★★
• Girl, Woman, Other: I admit I was intimidated by this one, knowing it was more like loosely connected short stories rather than a straight narrative, which I prefer - but even more so knowing the style doesn't use quotation marks, capitalization (aside from proper nouns), or periods... But it all WORKED so well. You really don't even notice after the first page, except for in good ways, like when the text is written more in verse form at times, which really makes certain things stand out or have more resonance. In general, this type of book is difficult to succinctly review, as it's not about the plot but more the feeling - you just gotta read it and find out! It reads a bit like short stories connected into a novel; each chapter has 3 sections, each featuring 1 woman who is connected to the others in her section (mother, daughter, friend; or some combo like that), so the chapters are pretty well self-contained and manage to give you a pretty complete picture of each woman's life, dreams, struggles, triumphs, etc. in just about 40 pages, but eventually you see threads of every woman's story weaving together, and it is masterfully done. Through these women's stories we get a picture of the range of British Black female (or non-binary) experience and opportunities (or lack of), from country of origin/first or second generation immigrant experience, social class, sexual orientation, to political persuasion and more. I couldn't stop thinking about these characters and feel like I learned a lot of different perspectives, especially what a Black experience is like in the UK. ★★★★.5 
• Solo: a novel written in verse that had languished on my shelf for a while - but thanks to Elizabeth Acevedo's work I am much more open to YA books like this now, and I'm glad I picked it up. Blade is the teenage son of a washed-up musician who would rather make his own way in the world than be a part of the roster of the rich & the famous, especially because of how his father's rocker escapades and rehab stints make him feel. When he finds out a big family secret that changes everything for him, we go along on a journey, from California to Ghana, of discovering his own identity, and what family and love really mean. I'm amazed at how well authors can make a story that flows so well and completely, out of short verses like this, and there were lots of individual lines I wanted to bookmark and remember for how they packed a punch and captured some essence of family or identity or love in just a couple of well-placed lines. ★★★★
• Saving Ruby King: the general gist of this one can be summed up as the "story of a young woman determined to protect her best friend while a long-buried secret threatens to unravel both their families." Sounds promising, and I did find interesting the themes of how family secrets can fester and affect subsequent generations, and also how trauma can be passed down through generations (though warning, it comes with reading about abuse) - but the execution just didn't land for me. Perhaps because I had high expectations after some very glowing reviews of it, but also perhaps because it felt like there were too many characters' perspectives telling the story. Maybe if there weren't quite as many, I would have gotten to know some characters more and become more invested - as it was, all of the secrets and such didn't feel quite as compelling to move along the plot as I might have liked. ★★★

Any great books you read in February? What's on your March reading list?

currently

choosing: my next read, frequently - because I have been tearing through the books lately! In March I hope to get to some of the books already on my shelf, like The Kindest Lie and The Masterpiece... but what I really want to read is the shiny and new of course. Just heard about Much Ado About You, and it's all I want - I mean, a rom-com set in a bookshop in a quaint English village?!

imagining: being next to a pool with a book and a beverage. Very wishful thinking for a multitude of reasons, but I guess I have a good imagination...

making: an effort to use the Instant Pot more this year. Mine hasn't gotten much use in the couple of years I've had it because I don't have any go-to recipes, which makes the whole thing seem like more of a hassle than a time-saver. I've finally mastered shredded chicken breasts in it, which comes in handy for a lot of things, and also added this salsa chicken recipe to my roster recently. Any other easy/foolproof ones I should add to my list?

recommending: a tinted eyebrow pomade. I'm not much of a makeup person, but I started using this about a year ago, and what a difference this simple and quick grooming step has made to my look - giving the eyebrows a little extra presence and shape just gives the whole face a bit more presence and polish! (Oh, and there is an excellent and very inexpensive Target dupe too.)

wearing: "compromise sweaters," as I am calling them. In Michigan we definitely still need the warmth of a sweater, but at least I'm wearing the ones that read a little less winter and a little more springy (ish?) perhaps, like this one and this one. 

 

 

What are you currently up to as we roll into March? I can't help but be doing a lot of remembering too, being 10 days away from the date when everything changed with the quarentimes last year. Who thought we'd still be avoiding restaurants/travel and wearing masks and not getting to see family/friends by this point? But as a friend (on Zoom!) reframed it last week when we were chatting - reaching this one-year milestone, who would have thought we'd have successful vaccine options and the end in sight they are bringing? Now if we could all just get ours.

Hang in there, and come on back on April 7 to chat again - perhaps about what we're currently arranging, craving, discussing, enjoying, and preparing.

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wearing lately: wishful thinking

Okay, not actually wearing any of this lately. But it's finally March, enough snow/ice has melted that we can actually see the driveway again, and I'm allowing myself to dream at least a little of the future - and with it, the wardrobe that I love. A few old favorites, a few new goodies... this is what I can't wait to be able to wear and accessorize with this spring:

 

And an assortment of related outfits that I have enjoyed in the past - ah, can't wait for bare ankles weather! I know the reality is that March is not spring in Michigan, but sometimes a little daydreaming gets a girl through.

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