Show Us Your Books: June

Another month, and a few more books. This month I got trapped by the first book, and it took me a long time (until last night, tbh) to get past it. I also really wanted to just start Erin's challenge, so I was antsy waiting for that and really dive in to what I wanted to read. Anyway, here's what I got through this month.

This Is Where I Leave You- Jonathan Tropper: 3 Stars
Read if you like dark humor, dysfunctional families, dramedies
own, free paperback thanks to Erin- if you'd like to read it, I'll send it to you for free!

I didn't have a hard time getting into this; that was the easy part. I had a hard time sticking with it, but not in the DNF sense. It was a solid story and I really liked Tropper's writing style, but it was a bit too dark. I didn't like any of the characters except the mother, and I only liked her towards the end. In fact, I strongly disliked the main character. He was a punk ass. I felt like I was inside his head, which I enjoyed for the most part, except the whole planning-his-entire-life-with-one-look-at-a-woman thing. Though I usually like it when I get pieces of a main event in the past throughout the story, it didn't work for me here. And there were a few too many plot points that were extraneous and really didn't need to be there. However I did put it down for several other books and then had a hard time getting back into it, so maybe that had something to do with it too.

Everything, Everything- Nicola Yoon: 5 Stars
Read if you like YA, romance
library hardback

Even though I've seen all you's reading this (and loving it), the only reason I wanted to read this was after I saw the preview in the movie theater. The description on Goodreads just wasn't telling enough. I admit that I really didn't see the twist coming at all, and it completely threw me. And I loved it. I love Yoon's writing style and all of the descriptions. Yeah it's YA and it read that way, but I really enjoyed it. It was realistic (or as realistic as I would imagine it would be for someone with this type of illness),  and I loved Olly and Maddy's quirks and how they grew and changed. I plan on reading a lot more from this author.  

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Last time I promised to share what I planned to read for Erin's 7.0 Book Challenge (which started on July 1st!) but then I didn't which is a good thing because I've already changed some of my original selections! So here's what I'm planning to read:

|5 points| Freebie: Some Girls Are- Courtney Summers
|10 points| Starts w/ “B”: Beautiful Ruins- Jess Walters
|10 points| Yellow cover: Everything Changes- Jonathan Tropper (currently reading)
|15 points| An animal on the cover: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe- C.S. Lewis
|20 points| Published in 2017: Exit West- Moshin Hamid
|20 points| Compass/cardinal direction in title: East, West- Salman Rushdie
|25 points| A most commonly banned book in America: Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging- Louise Rennison
|30 points| About mental illness: Everything Everything- Nicola Yoon
|30 points| Non-human main character: I Am The Messenger- Markus Zusak
|35 points| A Disney movie /book/ based on a Disney movie: Holes- Louis Sachar

What are you reading this month?

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

Currently: July

Reading: Books for Erin's 7.0 Book Challenge! I just finished Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon (review coming for Show Us Your Books tomorrow). Currently reading The Lauras by Sara Taylor. 

Listening to: These 5... you can find the rest of my playlist here!

Planning: my trip to Las Vegas! It's in December but I already got Britney Spears tickets (her run in Vegas is over at the end of Dec!),... and did not get a hotel or flight, so I kinda gotta get on that! 

Watching: Just finished The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu (if you've seen it- I'd love to discuss!) Currently watching Food Network Star, Married at First Sight, and Married at First Sight: Second Chances. Might try to get back into Legion soon. 

Hoping: that it doesn't rain on Friday. I'm going to see Incubus and Jimmy Eat World at an outdoor venue! 

Documenting: my summer, mostly on Instagram. I did a post about what all happened in June here though! 

Accomplishing: I finally *completely* cleaned out my closet... and then I cleaned out Blue's closet, refrigerator and freezer. I'm on a roll! Next up- my hall closets. 

Enjoying: all the warm weather! And some much needed time off! 

Spending: a lot lately. Recently I purchased a bunch of "staples" from Old Navy (replacement flats and sunglasses, and tanks/undershirts), new jeans, pullover, and T-shirt from Poshmark, and a few expensive things from Sephora on a whim. I need to stop! 

my new favorite shirt

What's currently going on with you? 

Linking up with Anne and Stephanie!

What's New With Me: June

You guys, I've been a terrible blogger. I said it back in the beginning of last month (on this same link-up), and it happened again. I kinda dropped out of the blog world for the second half of June, but hoping to get back in to the swing of things. Blogging in the summer is hard! I don't want to be inside, staring at a computer screen- I want to be outside doing things! It didn't help that I was off for the last week and a half. (I was hoping to find my mojo then, but alas, I did not.) I finally got my shit together and scheduled a few posts though, so yay! I'm making a comeback! Here's what was keeping me at bay in June.

I thought June would be quiet, but we had plans every.single.weekend (and it continues until the next week- oof). Like I said I enjoy being outside, especially in summer, but having plans can be quite draining with no breaks in between! We started out strong the first weekend with a local craft brew festival. I tried a bunch of new stuff, and loved that it was local- no crazy commute back home! 

loved the slogan on that brewery!

The next weekend with a concert by Train with Natasha Bedingfield and O.A.R. opening. We've probably seen Train perform about 3 times now (tickets are usually so cheap!), and this one surely didn't disappoint.

The following weekend I had a double-header because I'm a poor planner and Michael and I had Groupons for Yonkers Brewing Co. that were about to expire and Blue and I had a birthday party to attend that night. The food was better than I expected, the beer was so-so. Que sera sera. 

brews on brews

birthday shenanigans

Next up was Brew at the Zoo! I've been wanting to go to one of these for a while now, but 1) they're kind of expensive and 2) they always sell out so fast! I had marked my calendar way in advance this time so I wouldn't miss out. We didn't see as many animals as I would have liked, but it was still a fun time! The only not so great part was trying to get home. We had taken an Uber there (around 4) but coming home the price had spiked to $100! So we found a nearby restaurant, but it seemed like everyone else got there first. We ordered food and drinks, got drinks after about 30 min, but no food. After about 2 hours prices went down, so we were able to get home.

The next day I met my mom and some of her church friends bright an early for a sailing trip in NYC. It was a gorgeous day and we had a great time laying back and eating lunch while the crew did the hard work in and around the Hudson River. It also happened to be the same day as the Pride parade (which I didn't participate in), so her church offered a huge (free) feast, including lots of wine. Her church has lots of free events, because they are kind of a big deal. Maybe you've heard of it- the famous Trinity Church on Wall St? She volunteers there and everyone knows her, so we were welcomed with open arms. I was kind of floored that there is a church that not only welcomes the LGBT community, but actually endorses them and plans events just for that group. So we stopped in there, then moseyed on over to Le District on the waterfront to eat and drink some more while the sun set. Perfect ending to the day.

flower display by Le District

I was off from work the last week in June, and did a whole lot of resting and cleaning. My AC, bathtub faucet and toilet broke, so I was home when the landlords came to fix those, which was pretty annoying since they came early on 3 separate days. Grumble. But at least it got me moving around instead of wasting my days off completely. On Wednesday, I met up with Blue, her sister and her cousin to go see U2 on their Joshua Tree tour at Metlife Stadium. We were up in the nosebleed section (really- the second row from the top!), so we couldn't see much, but we didn't mind too much because her sister had packed us jello shots which we pre-gamed with in the parking lot. 

the stage/backgrounds were really cool

On Friday, Blue and I headed to Citi Field for our annual Mets/Phillies baseball game. We try to see them play at least once a year, and this year was no exception. As per usual, the Mets beat the Phillies. I'm pretty sure they've won every time we've seen them play each other, but we had great seats and it's always more about the experience than the actual game for me.

So tell me friends- what did I miss? What's new with you?

Add It To My List: June

I'm a bit late, but better late than never, right? I'm off from work this week and still trying to find a "schedule" that works for me. As I work on that, here are a few things that I've been buying or trying and loving lately and I think you should too! (Also, I'm having some major formatting issues over here, so if things look wonky, I apologize. Not really sure what's going on.)

Caffeine Molecule Necklace (and others)

Sweetest Roses Jewelry $10

This was originally shared by Christina, but I like it so much that I'm sharing it as well! I like Caffeine, but there's also Seratonin, Dopamine, and atoms, and they're only $10 each! I'll probably be getting a few as gifts as well!

T-Fal 5 Qt. Nonstick, Dishwasher Safe Jumbo Cooker Saute Pan with Glass Lid

You know you're getting older when you strat getting overly excited about cookware, but you guys, this thing is awesome. I mentioned once before that I got the Budget Bytes cookbook, and I love that she offers a lot of one-pot/pan recipes, except I didn't have an adequate one-pan to use. They were either too big or too small so instead of buying a new pan, I let the cookbook gather dust until Alyssa mentioned a new one that she described as "life-changing," Enter this pan, which is a little heavy but durable, non-stick, and actually cooks everything evenly. And for less than $20! I think I may just find my way back into my kitchen after all!

Amazon Deal of the Day- $18

Cremo Moustrizing Shaving Cream

This was originally shared by Stephanie. I jumped right on it because I've been getting pretty bad razor burn lately. This is suppose to help with that, along with actually making hair less prickly when it's growing back in. And it's cruelty-free. As per usual, she was right! This stuff is amazing, and smells delicious. My legs feel softer in general post-shower, and there's no more razor burn!

Amazon $8

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater

I've been trying to master a skincare routine lately, and finally caved and purchased a 4 oz. bottle of this much raved about spray. And now I get the hype. It's super refreshing, doesn't mess up my makeup, and helps with my combo/dry skin. I will be purchasing the full size for sure!

Amazon Add-On Item $7

Poshmark- This isn't really news, but I've been using Poshmark a lot more since my closet cleanout last month. I've been able to sell or trade quite a few things, and am adding to my online closet almost daily, so be sure to check it out! Link in sidebar!

Victoria Secret Good Vibes sling
This was one of my recent purchases from Poshmark. I think it was only $5 and it came new with tags. It fits 6 cans and/or whatever you want to put in it (I used mine to also bring sub sandwiches to a boating event last weekend), it's insulated, waterproof, lightweight and easy to transport. Perfect for just about any outing!

Linen Bermuda shorts

I originally purchased a few pairs of linen Bermuda shorts when I was traveling to India because regualr shorts were too short. I love them, and have been living in them this season. I'm not a fan of short shorts (because, shaving...ugh), so these are a great length and I love the lightweight material.

Banana Republic Factory- $24

The Handmaid's Tale- Hulu

I think I've mentioned this one before, but that was anticipatory because I wanted to finish the book first. I just started watching this last week, and OH MY. I'm only on episode 3, and while it has strayed from the book in some ways (explaining and developing new storylines that weren't part of the original), I'm loving it. I do have a question though, so if you are watching it let me know so we can discuss!

Essex Basic Storage Bench

I love this thing. I actually bought it in March I think? but I hadn't found a good use for it until recently. I use it to store all my bulky sweaters/winter stuff (instead of storing them in luggage, as I was doing before). It's perfect and I love having an extra spot to sit as well.

Target- $72

Micro-Fiber Chenille Dusting Slippers

I may have mentioned that I'm pretty lazy about cleaning, so I ordered these immediately when I saw a friend using them. I have hardwood floors, and I kind of hate sweeping. I just feel like it just raises all the dust up, so I Swiffer more than anything, but these guys let me clean as I'm just walking around like normal. They're micro-fiber so they trap dust and dirt, and they're washable. (Though at only $7 a pair, I wouldn't mind just buying more.)

Amazon- $7

What else should I be adding to my list? 

Share it with Bre and Lauren!

Spring Goals Recap// Summer Bucket List

I'm so excited that summer is finally here! Summer is by far my favorite season- longer, sunny warm days, al fresco dining, BBQs, beach days, and an overall sense of freedom! Before I get into what I want to do this summer, let's review my Spring Goals.

Spring Goals

Visit the Bronx  or Central Park Zoo- Fail.

Walk on the Brooklyn Bridge- Check!

Visit the Botanical Gardens- Fail.

Visit the High-line- Fail. 

Go to a concert- Check! John Mayer and Train

Check out a new city- Check! 

Go on vacation- Fail. 

Get my spring shearing/haircut- Check!

Spring clean my apartment- Check!

Fix screen on patio door- Fail. Moving to summer list. 

Oof. Only 5/10. 
There was only one I had actually planned but didn't happen, which was visiting the High-Line with my mom. We were going to go as part of her Mother's Day but on that day she didn't feel like going, so we went to the South Street Seaport instead. The others I just didn't get to because it was raining or snowing all damn season. 

However, I did a lot of other stuff that wasn't on this list. I went to a NY Rangers (hockey) game, 2 food truck/brew festivals, checked out several new-to-me restaurants, won some $$ in a spontaneous trip to a casino, and went to a live showing of Young Frankenstein. So overall, it was a successful season! Moving on... 

Summer Bucket List

Go Camping/river tubing

Go to the beach at least 3 times

Attend at least 2 concerts (tickets purchased!)

Participate in Erin's 7.0 Book Challenge (7/1-10/31)

Visit the Meadowlands State Fair

Check out Brew at the Zoo

Attend a Phillies game
Go sailing
Complete at least 5 goals from my 101 list 

Attend at least one food festival

Watch fireworks
Complete the 30-Day De-Clutter Challenge

Linking up with Penny  and...

Did I miss anything? What's on your summer bucket list? 

Show Us Your Books: May

It's SUYB day, and though I didn't read many, I had a lot of feelings about the ones I got through! Let's jump right in shall we?

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry- Gabrielle Zevin: 5 Stars
Read if you like reading, books, romance and second chances
free Amazon Prime Reading

I picked this up because so many of you (SYUB folks) read and recommended it, so I'm not going into details about it. I very rarely give 5 stars, but this book completely deserves it. I loved everything about it- the books, the bookstore, the romance, the descriptions and writing style, and especially the characters. I  related to something in almost all of them and some of them very much surprised me.

Flat-Out Love (Flat-Out Love #1)- Jessica Park: 4 Stars
Read if you like YA, romance
free Amazon Prime Reading

I admit I picked this up because of the cover, and I'm glad I did. A cute, quick, albeit rather predictable love story. I loved all the characters, including Finn, but especially Celeste and all of her little quirks. I also really enjoyed the writing style and inclusion of IMs, emails, and FB status updates. I didn't realize this was a series until later, but I'm compelled to read the others. 

The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood: 2 Stars
Read if you like classics, science fiction/dystopia, feminism, books to TV series
free Amazon Prime Reading

I motored through this novel and had SO MANY FEELINGS! I wanted to discuss with everyone who has ever read this. So why only 2 stars, you may ask? Because that ENDING. UGH. I was disappointed in the ambiguity of the ending. There were too many questions left unanswered. I am waiting until the TV series is over so I can binge watch it. 

And that's it! Somewhat related, Erin's Book Challenge 7.0 starts July 1st. Last time I got thorough a little over half of it, but I'm going to try again. Come back Thursday to see what books I'm picking!

What have you been reading lately? 

Linking up with Steph and Jana! 

Summer Staples

Today I'm joining in Girl Chat to talk about my summer beach bag staples! It's been pretty cool and crappy here lately (as of yesterday I was still wearing my North Face!), but summer is my favorite season and I'm trying to get in the spirit, especially with it officially starting in just 2 weeks!  Here are my top 10 for a successful beach day!

Beach Bag Essentials by lildesiqua featuring a picnic cooler

1. Sunglasses- I buy cheap ones because I'm forever losing or breaking them.

2. Sunscreen- I'm really bad at putting on sunscreen because I very rarely burn (once, maybe?). I try to put on at least 15, especially when I know I'm going to be out in the sun all day. I also make sure my makeup has SPF in it, but I hardly wear makeup in the summer!

3. Towel/blanket/chair- Honestly I like sitting more than laying out, but I also bring a towel in case I actually go in the water. This chair is perfect because it's low to the ground (also good for concerts), and has a strap so it's easy to carry.

4. Deodorant- I sweat like a man. I know it and hate it, but at least I've learned how to control it.

5. Book/Kindle- Though I won't do it when I'm with a group of people and socializing, I do love reading on the beach and in summer in general.

6. Portable music player- I love this one from SunnyLife. You connect it to your phone/iPod inside to protect it from the heat/sand/water. Smart!

7. Hair ties/hat- You know those commercials or pictures where the woman is standing on the shore, wind blowing freely through her long hair? That's not real life, at least not for me. My hair likes to get all up in my face with any passing breeze. I carry extra hair ties or those claw clips for this reason. Hats come in handy too, but I don't really look good in them.

8. Water- I like freezing a reusable bottle to take with me, that way it stays cool longer. I may have to invest in one of those Yeti stainless steel jug things everyone is talking about though.

9. Snacks- To keep from getting hangry, and for sharing. Because sharing is caring.

10. Bottle opener- Because it's always good to be prepared, especially if you're bringing along a cooler bag :)

What are some of your summer staples?