May 2018 Recap // Reading Slump & Kind of Being Productive (??)

 I think we can all agree that my biggest accomplishment this month was actually posting. 

(Except for the last week. Let’s forget about that.)

But I started to write my posts early!!* And I commented to some of my comments! I still have a lot of comments to reply to, and I didn’t even start catching up on blog hopping– but… I have high hopes for June!

There’s kind of been a pattern where I have high hopes for the coming month and end up just being mediocre but this month we’re going to make it work.

(hopefully)

(feel free to yell at me if I’m slacking)

*I mean, around two days early. BUT IT’S STILL NOT TWO HOURS BEFORE POSTING SO… #upgrade.

books i read

{my star rating links to my goodreads review… which haven’t been made yet}

{i stole this feature from may}

  

The Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan // ★★★★★

• Classic Rick Riordan. I love his writing so much and although his voices are all really similar, I still LOVE them. ALSO A GENDERFLUID CHARACTER IN THE MAIN CAST??? I LOVE.

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury // ★★★★★

• I KNEW THIS WAS GOOD BUT YO. I DIDN’T KNOW HOW GOOD. I WAS LITERALLY CAPTIVATED FROM THE FIRST SENTENCE. Also, it might be a little cliche but you know what………. I like cliches when they’re done well.

book haul

So, I didn’t exactly read and review all of my ARCs… however, I have good reason for this book haul (mostly). Girls of Paper and Fire was a gift by my friend Emma (thank you so much ily!!!) and The Girl and the Grove just sounded… really good and Eric Smith (my fav literary agent tbh) was offering copies… (literally how could I not)

Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan

• Again, thank you so much Emma!!!!! I’m so freaking excited for this because a. ASIANS IN FANTASY??? & b. THERE’S ALSO AN F/F RELATIONSHIP I LOVE IT. Also the author grew up in Malaysia (and the UK) and also SPEAKS CHINESE. I LOVE IT MORE.*
• [update later] I STARTED READING IT. AND SO MANY REFERENCES TO CHINESE ATTIRE. I LOVE IT SO MUCH.

The Girl and the Grove by Eric Smith

• First off, Eric Smith is one of my favorite Twitter humans? His account is just so pure and good and he just?? Is everything I would want in a publicist and he raves about books and if he made a booktube I would 100% watch it. Next, Girl and the Grove is about a foster child and?? There are hardly any on-the-radar YA books about that soooo I’m excited!!

*I speak Chinese too, in case anyone was wondering about my excitement about that? I don’t get excited over random languages haha.

overall reading analysis

• My favorite book this month was dEFINITELY THE FORBIDDEN WISH.
• (I just. Loved it so much.) (SLDKFLDKJF)
• I DON’T REALLY HAVE A LEAST FAVORITE BOOK BECAUSE. I LOVED HAMMER OF THOR SO IT’S UNFAIR TO SAY IT’S MY LEAST FAVORITE??
• Also I read. TWO BOOKS. WHY AM I SLUMPING SO HARD.
• I’ve still been reading my weekly webtoons I think I’ve read at least 30 by this point… there are hardly any romance webtoons left that I haven’t read… (I’m coming for you all)

things i’ve changed

• MY NEW PROFILE PIC!!!! I (my sister) TOOK LIKE THIRTEEN DIFFERENT PICTURES BEFORE I WAS SATISFIED.

• But I really love it and hopefully it’s similar enough to my old profile picture that none of you guys are like “who IS THIS KID”
• Also apparently I look really emo in this pic. (According to STD Syd & May)

posts i loved

• Elise posts her END OF THE YEAR SURVEY in the middle of the NEXT YEAR. Definitely A+ scheduling.
• Lu discusses internalized her own LGBT+misia and the things that she wants to see in LGBT+ stories!
• Marie challenges the idea of having to review books in order to be considered a true “book blogger.”
• May recommends YA books by Asian Authors in celebration for AAPI month!!! (I wish I did one of these posts but I was too late rip)

Also… May was supposed to be my one-year anniversary but, I mean, I dislike thinking about my horrible growth over one year and during May I was nowhere near prepared to do any celebrating since I… was kind of on a hiatus lmao. So!!! Let’s pretend that August is my anniversary and celebrate during that month (which is also my birthday month yay!!).

I swear, every single time I start writing my “life stuff” section, I immediately forget anything that happened this month. LIKE DID ANYTHING EVEN HAPPEN?? (yes) But it’s funny because I remember that one time I was like “hey I can write about this in my life stuff section, I should write it down to remember” and then I changed my mind like “no, I’ll remember it” and uhhhh I DON’T REMEMBER. (#regrets)

my productivity (kind of)???

This month, I’ve felt a lot more urge to be productive and actually do things. For example, I’ve started writing out more to-do lists and mostly finishing them. It’s so satisfying and I feel so productive & the feeling is so refreshing!!! Y’all should try it!!

I’ve made lists for the books I have to read/review, my general blogging obligations, and just general things to improve my life??

Unfortunately, whenever I spend a lot of time on writing a blog post or replying to comments, I feel really productive but at the same time I feel guilty for spending so much time on blogging when I could be using this time to study or learn things. I probably shouldn’t because I shouldn’t feel guilty for spending time on my hobbies??

But I always feel like instead of spending time on blogging, I should be learning Chinese or another course.

So, I’ve decided that I’m only going to obligate myself to six posts per month, which is basically 2 posts per week and then 1 post per week so that I can concentrate on other things. I still love this blog and I’m still going to work on it, though!

nutrition & exercise & physical health

I’ve been a lot more motivated, this month, to basically look at my physical health more, because I usually hardly exercise outside of my standard walking (to like, Dunkin Donuts) and gym class– so I tried to go out more and start running.

(I also want to start running so that I can get a decent time on my mile for school!!! #Academics #are #a #part #of #everything)

And I used to always, always start watching something/reading something/do another activity while eating, but I decided that I’m not going to let myself do that because it basically slows down your body’s reaction time, so that your body doesn’t realize when it’s actually full. And this is actually true!! I’ve found myself getting more full/satisfied by smaller portions of food.

Anyways, I’ve been mostly healthy for the most part (the Chinese diet is actually HEALTHY) but I think my main problem was overeating/exercise?? Not eating too much junk food?

I DON’T REMEMBER ANYTHING ELSE I DID THIS MONTH?

(I’m using my goals from my February Recap because. I literally am non consistent with posting.)

bookish stuff

• read at least 7 things that you can mark on goodreads (webcomics or other things count) ㄨ I ended up not marking any of my webcomics on Goodreads because I just read so many and it’s too much work to figure out the dates that I read them lmaooo.
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• write at least 2 full reviews on goodreads before posting them ㄨㄨ
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blogging stuff

• take more pictures for bookstagram (10+) and upload them on a schedule (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) ㄨ I’ve grown so much less satisfied with my bookstagram pictures, even though I have at least three draft pictures??
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• write at least 2 posts over one day before you post it ✓ YES I ACTUALLY DID THIS ONE. YAY.
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• post at least 3 discussions ㄨ I only posted one (1) discussion!! smh @ myself
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• catch up on all of my required reviews for my blog ㄨㄨㄨ
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• make more notes tracking my arcs and everything that I need to do ✓ I MADE A BUNCH OF EVERNOTE NOTES. I love note/list-making.
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• reach a place where I feel happy with my stats ㄨㄨ Oh… oh well.
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life stuff

• drink more water!!! ✓ I’ve drunk almost a full bottle of water every day!!! Yay!!!
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• become better at lacrosse ㄨ Lacrosse ended a month ago already hahahaha
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• go to sleep before 10:30 regularly on weekdays ㄨ No, but I’ve gone to bed at like 11:30-12 consistently so!! At least that’s fine?? I have low standards.
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• finish all homework before 4:30 pm ㄨ I’ve done this, but not every day.
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• find more hobbies that don’t involve spending too much time online ㄨ DOES READING COUNT.
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• organize my books (ALL OF MY BOOKS ARE IN PILES AND THEY ARE EVERYWHERE AND NOT ORGANIZED AT ALL.) ㄨㄨㄨ I’ll just wait for my BOOKSHELF.
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bookish stuff

•  read at least 3 arcs (I actually need to though!!! I got some arcs at BookCon that I cANNOT WAIT TO READ.)
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• read at least 4 books (even though I’m in a horrible book slump. It’s okay. I’M FINE.)
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• write at least one (1) review on goodreads (I’M HARDLY ACTIVE ON GOODREADS AND IT’S SAD)
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blogging stuff

• post at least six times (hopefully this isn’t too hard?? I’ve been getting into blogging more lately?)
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• write at least two posts that aren’t published in preparation for July (I plan to post a lot more during July, when I’m more accustomed to blogging regularly)
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• write at least two required reviews (I STILL NEED TO CATCH UP ON ARCS)
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• finally upload my sensitivity reads doc as well as my Ko-Fi/Patreon/Amazon wish-list (probably no one will donate to me or anything but I made all of my Ko-Fi’s and everything over two months ago and was just too nervous to post them aaaa!!)
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life stuff

• run more regularly (at least 4 times a week) (exercise!!!! yes!!!! my brain needs this!!!)
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• go to sleep at 11 regularly & wake up at 7 regularly (resetting my Circadian system is 100% necessary)
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• earn enough money to buy wireless earbuds/headphones (I really want wireless earbuds/headphones) (maybe I’ll put them on my wishlist)
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• also earn enough money to buy myself a bookshelf (I really need one to ORGANIZE MY BOOKS. my books are all over the place.)
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I ALREADY WENT TO BOOKCON. AND I’M PLANNING TO MAKE A RECAP DETAILING MY EXPERIENCE ON IT! I’m so excited to write about it omg. I had so much more fun at this BookCon than last BookCon!!!

so did any of you guys go to BookCon? how was it? how was your month? do you read webtoons? do you want wireless earbuds/headphones?