What I Read | April 2020

April was quite the reading month for me! I read nine books in total and felt like I really found my groove with reading this month, since I’ve cut back so much on watching tv and being on my phone. One of the benefits of being stuck inside all day, is that it gives me a lot of time to read and really get stuck into a book and feel full immersed in the process of reading. Overall, I really liked the majority of the books that I read this last month and I know that I have a lot more to look forward to in May!

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern ~ I’m not usually one for fantasy, but I had heard so much about this book from a few friends of mine who really loved it recommended that I read it anyways. The book is about a young man named Zachary Ezra Rawlins, who is wandering through his school library one day and picks up a random book and as he starts reading the book he realizes that the book is his life story. He ends up on a fantastical journey trying to figure out where this book is from and is whisked up into an alternate universe that is at risk of being destroyed. Overall I really liked this book, it definitely is a great one if you like fantasy and want a bit of escapism. At times, the writing felt a bit too meandering and I had to remind myself what was going on at times, which was a bit annoying. This book made me more interested in trying out some more fantasy novels in the future.

The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead ~ As I’m writing this post I just found out that Colson Whitehead has won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for this book! This book is about a boy named Elwood, who is living in segregated Tallahassee during the 1960s, and is sent to a brutal reformatory school and there he is exposed to abuse and violence. Elwood is a firm believer in Dr. King’s nonviolent movement, but being at The Nickel Academy as well as his peers and their beliefs, test his ideology and his firm belief in non-violence. This book is incredibly thought-provoking, yet manages to be subtle even while confronting truly horrific history. I do wish that this book had been a tad longer so we could have delved a bit deeper into certain sections, but overall I appreciate how much Whitehead packed into such a short novel. This is easily one of the best books I have read this year and it will most likely be in my top picks from 2020.

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid ~ And the first disappointing book of the month award goes too… Ok first off, this book is so hyped up, which always makes me far more critical of a book because I’m expecting it to be great (is that unfair?). Any-who, this book is about Emira, a 20-something African-American woman, who babysits for a white family. She is called in to help out the family she babysits for on short notice after a night out with her friends, and is asked to take the young daughter, Briar, out of the house whilst the parents deal with the police (their house got egged). At the grocery store Emira is accused of kidnapping Briar by the security guard on duty. The plot devolves from that point and explores the relationship between Emira and Briar’s mother Alix, a woman who tries so hard to be an ally that she ends up doing the opposite, as well as the role that race and privilege play a role in both women’s lives. I didn’t think this book was horrible, in fact I thought the plot, at the beginning was engaging and thought-provoking, and that the central themes of white savior-hood and privilege are certainly important topics that should be explored more. Where things went wrong for me was the writing, I thought that overall the dialogue was flat and dull and the plot lost it’s way about halfway through. I also thought that Emira’s boyfriend and Alix were pretty insufferable characters, which is kind of the point, but it was so over the top that it made the book less than enjoyable to read at times.

Lanny by Max Porter ~ Unlike Such A Fun Age, I went into reading Lanny with almost zero expectations and loved it so much! This book is definitely experimental both in its form and content, which I imagine some will love and some definitely will not. Lanny is about a small village outside of London, which is inhabited by a local spirit called Dead Papa Toothwort, who listens to the village people and becomes fascinated by a young boy named Lanny. Though Lanny is the main character of the book, we never actually hear from him, but rather the adults that have the most influence over him, that is to say, his mother, his father and “Mad” Pete (a local artist who takes Lanny under his wing as a kind of protégé). I loved this book’s structure as well the depiction of childhood imagination, and the process by which children lose that imagination as they get older. I definitely see myself re-reading this in the future.

You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe ~ Yet another book I had high expectations for that ultimately let me down. I was so excited to read this book because 1. I’m a history nerd (I majored in history in college) and 2. Coe sets out to bring a new perspective and analysis to the life and legacy of George Washington’s life. The reason why I didn’t like this book is because there was absolutely no analysis, and as someone who studied history and has read a decent amount of historical writing, I expect exhaustive and extensive analysis when I read an historical book. I don’t think that I’m this book’s intended audience because it is meant to be a more popular history book, but even still, I wish Coe hadn’t been so rushed in her description of George Washington (this book is a mere 300 pages and spends about 40 pages on his presidency).

The Secrets We Kept by Lara Prescott ~ This is a work of historical fiction about the Cold War and the role the CIA played in disseminating the famous Russian novel, Doctor Zhivago, in order to undermine the Soviet Union. I really expected this to be a crossover between a spy novel and an historical fiction, and while the beginning really built up momentum, the last third of the book fell flat plot-wise and ended up turning into a love story, which was a bit disappointing. This book is ok, it’s an easy read overall, but I think there are better works of historical fiction that are based around similar subject matter.

The Idiot by Elif Batuman ~ This book is quite a divisive one, some people absolutely hate it, while others love it. I happen to fall in the category of those who love this book. The main issue people have with this book is the fact that it doesn’t have a plot, but I’m a firm believer that a book doesn’t need a plot to have meaning. This book is about a college freshman named Selin, who embarks on her first year at Harvard and navigates new friendships and academic life. This book made me tear up and laugh out loud, and I could relate so much to Selin and her experiences. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more nostalgic for college and academic life as I did when I read The Idiot.

These Ghosts Are Family by Maisy Card ~ Last book of the April! This book is about Abel Paisley, who faked his own death decades ago, and assumed the identity of his friend, Stanford Solomon. Abel left behind a wife and a family back in Jamaica when he faked his death and started anew with his second wife in New York, the consequences of which reverberate for generation. The narrative perspective constantly jumps around from chapter to chapter, which can be confusing at times, but ultimately serves to underline how Abel’s decisions have had effects on nearly all of his living relatives. This book really dives deep into the idea of inter-generational, since it also explores Abel’s own ancestry and the legacy of slavery that looms over his family. I really liked the first 85% of this book, but the ending was just a little rushed and came out of nowhere. Had Card had an extra fifty pages to resolve and weave in the last few chapters to the overall narrative I think it would have been more successful. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future novels from Maisy Card!

Spring Nail Polishes to Brighten Your Mood

As I mentioned in my previous blog post all about the things I do to take care of myself when I’m stressed, I mentioned that I love the ritual of painting my nails as a form of self-care. I thought, with the changing of the seasons, that I would go over my favorite nail polishes for the springtime that always manage to make me a bit happier.

Fingers

Olive & June EC ~ A lot of time I actually like to go pretty bare with my nail color during the spring. My go-to sheer pink is Olive & June EC. It’s super sheer so if you want a slightly more opaque finish you will have to apply three coats. I love how healthy this makes my nails look and it actually has some nail strengthening built into the polish itself so it keeps your nails healthy and strong.

J. Hannah Saltillo ~ J. Hannah is probably my favorite nail polish brand in terms of color palette. She just makes so many unique, understated colors that are so so flattering. I love Saltillo for the shade because it reminds me of orange sherbet and Aperol spritzes.

Smith & Cult Kundalini Hustle ~ I absolutely love a bright cherry red all year round but especially in the springtime. I don’t think there’s any more sophisticated, yet bright looking nail color than a bright cherry red. My go-to cherry shade is Smith & Cult Kundalini Hustle, which strikes the perfect balance between not leaning too orange or blue-toned. I also love the formulation of Smith & Cult polishes on the whole because they last for ages.

Toes

Olive & June CDJ ~ I don’t know what it is about light, opaque, nude pinks, but I don’t always love how they look on my hands, but love them on my toes. CDJ by Olive & June is more of a cool toned light pink, and it almost veers towards lilac-y. Olive & June polishes, on the whole, are some of the most long lasting nail polishes I have ever used and if I paint this shade on my toes, it lasts for at least two weeks with no chipping!

Smith & Cult Bitter Buddhist ~ Nothing like a Robin’s egg blue to scream spring! Bitter Buddhist by Smith & Cult is such a nice, somewhat muted Robin’s egg blue. While I do like it on the fingers, I think it looks even better on the toes, especially when you have a bit of a tan.

Essie Bahama Mama ~ Just because springtime is here does not mean I’ll be giving up my dark nail polishes any time soon. Whenever I wear darker nail polishes in the warmer months, I tend to go for something that has a bit more color saturation. My go-to dark color for the toes is Essie Bahama Mama, which is a really pretty deep plum shade.

The Five Product Face I've Done Every Day Recently

Even though we’ve been at home for the last month, under lockdown due to COVID-19, I’ve still been making an effort to wear makeup when I feel like it. For the first few days or so of being at home, I really didn’t feel the urge to wear makeup and it was a nice break, but the first day I did put makeup on, it instantly lifted my mood. It’s not even just about how wearing makeup makes me look, but the routine of doing it every morning, makes me feel some sense of normalcy in all of this craziness. Even though I have been wearing makeup almost every day, I have been keeping things extra minimal and only using about five products per day.

Concealer ~ I don’t wear foundation every day (and especially now I almost never wear foundation), but I do always wear concealer if I wear makeup. Depending on how my skin is I will use either the Glossier Stretch Concealer (for normal/drier skin days) or the NARS Softmatte Complete Concealer (for the days where I have a few more spots or my undereye circles are looking particularly dark. I don’t go crazy when I do wear concealer and I’m lucky enough to have pretty good skin a lot of the time, so I usually just use concealer under my eyes to brighten things up a bit and on any spots or areas of redness.

Cream Blush ~ I am a complete believer that blush can instantly lift your mood and the look of your whole face. I used to feel like I would have to leave the house with concealer and mascara on, but now I think it would probably be a bit of concealer and blush. I’ve pretty much been exclusively using the Glossier Cloud Paints as my blush of choice for the last year and a half or so, and I hardly ever use powder blush anymore. Especially on no-makeup makeup days, I think a gel or cream blush is the most natural looking because it blends into your skin so seamlessly. My two go-to colors from the Cloud Paint range are Storm, which is a rose shade (and matches exactly what my natural flush is when I’m out in the cold), or Beam, which is a really pretty peach that looks much more natural on than it does in the tube (it’s literally straight orange in the tube).

Mascara ~ As someone with very fair skin and hair, I really benefit from a swipe of mascara just to open up my eyes a bit. I really love mascaras that err on the side of definition and volume over super lengthening mascaras most of the time. I’ve currently been using Soap & Glory Thick and Fast Flash Extensions Mascara and so far I really like it, I would compare it to Maybelline Full ‘n Soft but with a bit more oomph. I also love Glossier Lash Slick for a super super natural look!

Brow Gel ~ About two years ago I actually started dyeing my eyebrows at home, because I have pretty full brows, but very fair hair. That being said, I do like to keep them in place with a bit of brow gel on a daily basis to keep them looking groomed and well-kept. Of course, my go-to brow gel is the Glossier Boy Brow, which I have been using basically since it launched. I switch between the Clear and Blonde shades depending on how much definition or color I need, but I love how natural this product looks no matter the color!

Lip Balm ~ I’m not usually one to wear a lot of lip color in my day-to-day life, mainly because I have relatively pigmented lips and can get away with very little product. I have been trying to keep my lips in good condition though, because they are prone to extreme dryness and crack quite easily especially during the colder months. I’ve been switching between the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, which is a really thick balm, but does a great job at keeping your lips in super good condition, or the Weleda Skin Food Lip Butter if I want something a little bit lighter in texture.

My Favorite Memories of My 24th Year

Even though my 24th year didn’t exactly come to the end that I was expecting (i.e. we are currently on lockdown here in California for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19), this past year was a pretty good one overall. There definitely were some low-points, but there were also a lot of really high highs, and I know that those moments are the ones I will remember. I can’t wait to see what 25 has in store and since we spent my birthday in lockdown, it’s definitely made me take stock and feel a lot of gratitude for what I have at this moment in time.

Going Climbing Outside for the First Time ~ 24 was the year that Brad and I got really into climbing. I had climbed a little bit in high school and it was something I was always exposed to since I have quite a few family members who are really into rock climbing, but I had never taken a huge interest in it till this last year. Brad and I started going to the gym about 3-4 times per week and started to get really antsy to finally climb outside a bit. Luckily my uncle, who is a really experienced climber, took us out one afternoon to a local crag and I had my first go at climbing outside. To say it’s more difficult than climbing in a gym would be an understatement, but the rush you get being 30+ feet off the ground, standing on the tiniest footholds, and crimping like there’s no tomorrow is absolutely unmatched. More than anything, it’s felt really rewarding to find a lifelong sport in climbing, which is something I honestly never guessed would happen at this age.

Dinner Parties with Friends ~ We really leaned into having a lot of dinner parties with friends this year. I’ve definitely reached an age, along with my friends, that going over to each other’s houses, drinking wine, and cooking dinner is so much more fun than going out to the club. My group of friends decided that we would do both Friendsgiving and Friendsmas, which were so much fun and I think we will continue this tradition for years to come. I absolutely love hosting and cooking and it’s so much more fun when you get to share it with your best friends.

Our Trip to Alaska ~ This past September we took a cruise through the Inside Passage in Alaska with Brad’s family and it was an incredible trip! I’ve been to Alaska twice prior to this past trip, however I had never been to that part of Alaska. The scenery was absolutely incredible and we were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights, which is pretty rare for the time of year we were visiting and how far south we were. Brad and I also got a lot of great quality time together and we were both able to really switch off from work (which is rare for us) because our cell service was so minimal throughout the trip.

Getting Engaged! ~ I think this is pretty obvious, but getting engaged was the highlight of my 24th year. The day that Brad proposed was easily the best and happiest day of my life thus far. The proposal itself was such a surprise and I am so happy he involved my sister and her boyfriend to document the whole thing so we can look back on the video and the photos year after year. Brad and I have been together for 3.5 years and lived together for almost two years and honestly I didn’t think being engaged would change our relationship too much, but it definitely has for the better. I definitely feel a whole new level of commitment, even though we were obviously very committed before he proposed, and having our wedding to look forward to is so fun and exciting.

Budget-Friendly Self-Care Ideas

Right now, more than ever, the majority of us are in need of some serious self-care. While indulging in a pampering routine and using luxury products can feel nice, I wanted to talk about self-care activities that truly help my mental health and that don’t break the bank. A lot of these things cost very little to no money to do and I’ve found help me get out of my head when life gets stressful. I hope these suggestions help you to feel a little less anxious and help to lift your mood.

Reading ~ This is something I’ve been talking a lot about recently, but honestly reading is one of the best self-care activities I can rely on during stressful times like these. In order to keep reading affordable for myself, I have mainly been using my Kindle and renting ebooks from my local library (most libraries have this sort of system, so make sure you research it). I really only purchase physical books when I have a gift card to my favorite local bookstores or when I am really excited about a book and expect to reread or pass it on to a loved one after I’m done reading it. Not only does reading offer a really nice and much needed break from screens, but it also allows you to immerse yourself in another world, which is honestly the thing I love most about reading. I especially try to allocate time to read before bed, because it helps me to not think about the stresses of the day and it helps me fall asleep easier.

Yoga ~ I used to do yoga all the time when I was in college and then I fell off the wagon for awhile. I recently got back into yoga this past January through doing the Yoga With Adriene 30 Day Yoga challenge. Doing yoga for thirty days consecutively made me rediscover my love for the practice and made me realize how much I missed it in my every day life. While we’ve been practicing social distancing through all of this COVID-19 craziness, I’ve been doing yoga every day through the Yoga With Adriene YouTube channel and it’s honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done for both my physical and mental health. Most of the practices are very beginner-friendly and aren’t particularly long.

Give Yourself A Manicure ~ Out of all of the pampering-type self-care activities, doing a manicure on myself is one of the most relaxing things I can think of doing. Unlike other pampering things like taking a bath or doing a face mask, doing a manicure actually requires a lot of focus, which I find much more useful when I am feeling really anxious or stressed about other things. In being really focused on painting my nails, even though it’s a superfluous task, I am distracted from all of the other craziness going on in the world and even if that lasts for just a quick 30 minutes, it helps me find center again.

Doing A Puzzle ~ Brad and I love doing puzzles together. I think like painting my nails, doing a puzzle is a somewhat mindless task that takes a lot of focus. It’s so easy to get lost in a 1000 piece puzzle for the entire day and it’s so fun and rewarding to see the final result. I feel like getting your mind stimulated is such an under-rated way of practicing self-care, and I cannot recommend it enough (especially if it means spending less time in front of screens).

Brain Dump In Your Journal ~ I tend to journal a lot when I’m in a funk or if I’m going through a particularly anxious period. I love the ritual of getting up early in the morning, sitting at my desk with a cup of tea and taking a solid 15-20 minutes to just get all of my thoughts out of my head and onto paper. Using that time to release all of my feelings is incredibly therapeutic and even if you don’t make any huge breakthroughs during your time writing, it’s nice at the very least to just have some quiet time to sit with your thoughts and think about how you’re feeling on any given day.

FaceTime or Call A Loved One ~ I’ll be honest, I don’t use FaceTime all that much, but since we’ve been under shelter-in-place here in California for the last few weeks, I’ve been using it so much more to talk to friends and family. Of course it can never replace the feeling of seeing someone in person but it does lift your mood to reach out and talk to someone. I feel like when people talk about self-care, it’s usually a solitary practice, but I think there’s just as much to be said for self-care that involves talking to your loved ones.

Bake Some Treats ~ Baking is my ultimate stress relief and it has been since I was little. I love the concentration and precision it takes to bake something, but also that it’s a full sensory experience. Some recipes also take up the better part of a day so it’s a nice thing to do when you have a lot of time to kill and you don’t want to spend that time parked in front of a screen. One of the best things about baking is that you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor for days to come and there’s nothing like indulging in a cookie before bed as another little act of self-care.