Books Lately

Happy Show Us Your Books day with Steph & Jana! Happy first SUYB of 2020! I thought I read a lot over the holidays but apparently not as I don't have a ton to share today. I did get to a few re-reads at the end of the year, so maybe that's why. But all my books today are good ones, which is awesome.

That's Hazel. She was my reading buddy for a couple weeks.

The Heart's Invisible Furies - John Boyne
follows the life of gay irishman cyril (not a real) avery
This was long and slow, but goodness it was worth it. It was well written, it was beautiful, it was heartbreaking. I laughed and I cried. Not one I'd reread, but one I'd recommend. It's not an instant connection kind of book, but one that grows on you slowly... which isn't for everyone. I took my time and picked it up when I felt like it, which I think helped me enjoy it. I feel like I really know these characters.

Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
young adult
This one is a bit hard to talk about without 'spoiling'. I think it's one you should read without knowing exactly what its about, if you can help it. It was book club's December pick, I really liked it. I don't know that I have much to say about it besides that. It's a very short and quick read, it's sad and heartbreaking, even sadder when you think it could have been written today but it was written in 1999. I wish I'd read this in high school.

Unfu*ck Yourself - Gary John Bishop
self help
I think books like these are so unbelievably subjective so take my review with a grain of salt. I loved it. I don't know if it was just the right book at the right time, the right amount of blunt no nonsense common sense, or because I listened to it and I was super here for his scottish accent. Either way, I really really liked it.

Red at the Bone - Jacqueline Woodson
family, race, sexuality, class, everything.
I don't even know how to explain this book. It's about so much, but so short. It's so emotional, so beautifully written. It's narrated from multiple perspectives, not told in a linear fashion but it flows beautifully. I wish I was better with the words. I recommend.

Headliners - Lucy Parker
This was absolutely everything. I adored it. I love Lucy Parker, the end.
Received from Netgalley.

When We Believed in Mermaids

Linking up with Steph & Jana. 

TL;DR - I recommend.... well, all of them. 

Read anything decent lately?

January 2020 Goals

Hello all! Hope 2020 has been treating everyone well so far. I posted my yearly goals last week but I'm also doing monthly goals. The idea is that I'll do little things each month to work towards the yearly goals. I waited until today to post the monthly goals because I'm kind of counting the first week of 2020 as an epilogue of 2019 - because how can you work on goals when you're on holiday? It's against the rules.

January goals:

1. 10 no spend days. Not consecutive, just 10 days in between now and the end of the month. Absolutely no spending, no exceptions.

2. Journal, gratitude journal + meditate 12 days each. That works out to 3 days a week between now and the end of the month.

3. Get rid of 31 things. Plus, one in and one out for everything I bought at home, but they may not be exact swaps - for example, one teapot in, I don't have a teapot to go out, you know?

4. Read 4 books I already own. 2 ebooks + physical books.

5. Try a new fitness class. Plus, exercise 3 times a week.

6. Make one appointment.

7. Up water + reduce diet coke consumption. Drink 1 bottle of water at home every Saturday and Sunday, plus no soda at work.

8. Connect with my family. Call mum once a week and respond to her messages faster, call brothers once each, talk to other family members on social media.

9. In bed by 11pm each night. Eventually, I want my bed time to be earlier, but that's where I'm starting off until I figure out what time works best.

10. Stick to basic skincare routine. By basic, I mean cleanser, moisturiser + sunscreen. My problem is I have so many products and I love using them but I'm not super consistent because, well, I just have too much. So, start with basic for this month.

Phew, 10 goals, but they are all connected to my yearly goals so I feel good about them. I love a good holiday and of course I love going home, but I am ready to get back to a normal routine, that's for sure.

And for the random photo in today's post, this is my nephew. This is how he sleeps. I can't. I just can't handle it.

Any goals for January?

December 2019 Recap - What's New With You Link Up

Hello all, time for another what's new with you link up! Thanks again if you join me, I always appreciate it. You don't have to display the button if you don't want to, but don't forget to mention it somewhere in your post and check out some of the other posts! I'll be doing a monthly recap like I do every month.

<div class="Whats-New-With-You-button" style="width: 250px; margin: 0 auto;"> <a href="http://www.seeyouinaporridge.com" rel="nofollow"> <img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yCPLsBVdVPI/WsY-WA141bI/AAAAAAAAMKQ/7sqVlpsLLDQDUcEHeutJASD0T-1tEm0LACLcBGAs/s320/whats%2Bnew%2Bwith%2Byou.jpg" alt="What's New With You" width="250" height="250" /> </a> </div>

December was fairly busy but I don't actually have a ton to show for it. I had like 3 work christmas parties, attended a new book club, had dinner with friends, had nights in with friends where we watched some of the Dolly netflix series, book club including ranking this year's books and the book exchange. Also went to see The Santaland Diaries and went to a speakeasy afterwards, so that was fun.

On top of that, books and cats as usual (plus a couple other cats and a dog).

I'm kind of skipping the end of December because I thought I'd do a whole separate recap, even though I really didn't do anything super exciting. Christmas and New Year's Eve were both lovely though.

I think I worked out a couple times, but no photos to show for it. I feel like I wasn't really that busy in December, but I was just so dang tired all the time. I'm looking forward to hopefully relaxing and recharging in January. Not yet, but maybe in a week or so. 

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So, what's new with you?