In my break I switched gears a bit and have ping ponged around a few pages of Master Your Emotions and The Divine Feminine, however I haven't really been in the headspace for personal growth books right now. I'm always feeling a romance vibe though, hehe. I've been wanting to read a few of my unread books so I re-started After by Anna Todd. I'm pretty sure I've tried reading this one three times now and I've never been able to make it through... now that I'm at the halfway point, I'm remembering why.
Okay so I like the premise of the story and it's entertaining but there is just SO much push and pull, emotional rollercoaster drama. It's almost too much for me. I know I would have probably loved this book in high school/college but I fear I may be too old for this now?? They are WEARING ME OUT, lol. I always wanted to read the entire series so I'm pushing myself to make it through this time. We'll see how it ends and then evaluate whether to keep reading... I'm pretty sure I also have book #2!
I'm always in a shoppy mood so I made a few new book buys too. I couldn't resist the new Christmas at Hogwarts holiday book that just came out- how cute! Christmas at Hogwarts *is* the best and the graphics on this book are beautiful. Such a fun collector item + holiday gift for my fellow Harry Potter lovers!
Also in the Christmas spirit is Tis the Season for Revenge by Elizabeth Jordan. I love a fun holiday rom-com and wanted something cute and festive to read in December. I've seen great reviews on TikTok! Also a random TikTok recommendation I grabbed is A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime. I kept seeing this one pop up so I threw it in my cart- I'll let you know what I think!
I also just discovered The Rutshire Chronicles by Jilly Cooper and *immediately* added it to the top of my TBR list. Have you seen the new show Rivals on Disney+/Hulu?!?!??! YA'LL, I CAN'T. I saw a few clips on TikTok and had no clue what I was getting myself into. I also didn't realize until finishing the show that it had just come out and there is only one season!! It has seriously had me in a chokehold ever since and is so so good.
It's based off of the book Rivals from The Rutshire Chronicles series by Jilly Cooper and is phenomenal. It takes place in the Cotswold of England in the 1980s and is cheeky, smart, endearing and a little raunchy. As an '80s lover, it is right up my alley. It also has THE BEST soundtrack. The music + vibes are a 10/10 and I love the characters. I wasn't kidding about the chokehold, ya'll. There are very few things that really captivate me like this... you must watch! Maybe you should wait awhile though, lol. Rumor has it that season 2 is a very good possibility so maybe just wait until there are more episodes to watch unless you want to GO INSANE. Obviously I need more NOW so I'm adding all of the books to my 2025 list but it's insanity!
What have you been reading lately?
I love sharing my picks + hauls with you all! Should you click on or make a purchase through the links in this post, I'll earn some money to keep on shopping! Pretty cool, huh? :)
