Recommend a book that feels like a fairytale 🧚🏼‍♀️ Recommend a book that feels like a fairytale 🧚🏼‍♀️

Recently, I finished THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER by @timesnewrachel ☀️ While it was quite different from the modern, witchy fantasy books I’ve come to associate with her (otherwise known as some of my favorite books of all time), she has created a signature style of storytelling that made reading *this book* feel like coming home 🥰

I felt it instantly when I sensed her intense love for nature and the earth woven through the story, paired with such atmospheric writing that I regularly forgot I was not *in* the ethereal, whimsical world I was reading about 🌌 I felt it again in the way she writes of longing and love so powerful that there’s no doubt the characters will overcome every obstacle they face together 🤎 I felt it once more when I began to cry over supporting characters that (possibly) weren’t meant to elicit such strong emotions in the first place 🥹

THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER was everything I could possibly hope and dream a fairytale would be. It was beautiful and magical, and left me feeling so filled with joy and hope. It’s an absolute masterpiece 🙌🏼

Have you read this or any of Rachel’s other books? 📚

—

#fantasyreads #fantasybooklover #thesunandthestarmaker #rachelgriffin #fairytalebooks escapism, book hangover, fantasy books, book recs, reread worthy, favorite author
Tell me the last vampire book you read 🧛🏻‍♀️ I go Tell me the last vampire book you read 🧛🏻‍♀️

I gotta be real honest with y’all... I don’t read a ton of vampire books 😅 I was a wolf girly starting in middle school, and that really hasn’t changed much. I do love a good vampire book, but they haven’t always been my favorite supernatural creature 🙈

However, maybe due to the V.E. Schwab magic, I absolutely adored Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil 😍 It was precisely as toxic as she promised it would be, and I ATE IT UP. It was dark, seductive, sometimes bloody, and there was never a dull moment. I genuinely didn’t want it to end.

Have you read this one yet? 📖

—

#buryourbonesinthemidnightsoil #veschwab #vampirebooks #fantasyreads #fantasybooklover supernatural fantasy, book hangover, fantasy world-building, book recs, reread worthy, sapphic, late-night chapters @veschwabfeatures
Do you pay close attention to monthly releases? 📖 Do you pay close attention to monthly releases? 📖

For several years, I would write a blog article every month that included somewhere between 20-40 new releases 🫢 While I was working my previous job, I didn’t have the opportunity to blog, let alone pay attention to new releases, and I feel like I missed SO MANY 🙈 

I’m happy to be back to blogging semi-regularly, and equally thrilled to be back in the habit of knowing which books are coming out each month! 🙌🏼 If you swipe through, you can see 24 March releases and their corresponding release dates 🗓️

Which of these titles are you most looking forward to reading? 🤎

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyreads #readersofinstagram cozy read, new book releases, fantasy books, book recs, TBR, romance books, late-night chapters
Do you have a library card? 🪪 Ya girl is the self Do you have a library card? 🪪

Ya girl is the self-proclaimed biggest fan of the library to ever walk the earth 🌍 Okay, that could be an exaggeration, but most of the time it doesn’t feel like one. I cried with happiness over my first library card as a kid, and I won’t purchase a book until I’ve borrowed it from the library and loved it enough to own it. I have 5 library cards, swear by Libby and Hoopla for all of my audiobooks and ebooks, and at this point, I feel like an Arthur tattoo might be necessary (IYKYK) 😂

But I digress... February is National Library Lovers’ Month, and I think you should get a library card (or 5) and celebrate not only the perk of FREE BOOKS but also the countless ways public libraries are integral to our lives and communities! 🙌🏼

What was the last library book you checked out? 📖

—

#nationallibraryloversmonth #libraryloversmonth #bookcommunity #bookphotography #readersofinstagram support your public library, library lovers, bookish vibes, cozy aesthetic, book nerd
If you could only recommend one book for the rest If you could only recommend one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? 📖

This one has been an easy answer for me since 2020, when I read THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY. It completely changed my life.

Since then, I have recommended it to countless people, and have felt intense amounts of joy as I’ve seen those people recommend it to others, buy copies for friends, suggest it for their book clubs, and come back to me to tell me how it changed their life just like it changed mine 🥰

Which book would you say changed your life for the better? 🤎

—

#themidnightlibrary #magicalrealism #mentalhealthbooks #bookcommunity #bookishvibes Matt Haig, books with mental health rep, magical realism books, book recs, favorite books, escapism, book hangover, reread worthy, comfort book
Would you want to have the same occupation as the Would you want to have the same occupation as the main character(s) in your last read? 💼

I recently finished Thunderhead, and I absolutely would *NOT* want to be a Scythe! 🙅🏻‍♀️ I also definitely wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of the royalty in my other previous read, A Psalm of Storms and Silence 😬

Is there a book character’s “career” that you know you would love to have? 💭

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyaesthetic #readersofinstagram current read, currently reading, cozy aesthetic, escapism, late-night chapters, what I’m reading
Is there an author who consistently writes books t Is there an author who consistently writes books that bring you to tears? 😭

I have cried while reading every single one of Amber’s books... and that’s only a small part of what keeps me coming back for more 🤎

I’m struggling with even knowing how to put in words what her books mean to me, because even thinking about it is making me tear up 🥹 So instead of trying to craft the perfect thing to say, I’m just going to urge you to read everything she’s written. You can thank me later 🙏🏼

What was the last book that made you cry? 📖

—

#theleavingroom #booklover #bookcommunity #cozyreads #bookishvibes poetry, Amber McBride, The Leaving Room, sapphic books, books that will make you cry, book hangover, book recs, reread worthy, late-night chapters
Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛ I absolutely Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛

I absolutely love when a book has animals in it—whether that’s someone’s pet, familiar, or when the animal is the main character 😻

I’m always absurdly happy when there’s a cat, and if they have a creative name it’s even better. I think the stand-out for me was a cat named The Darkling in Accidentally Amy. I’ll never forget it! 😂

Do you have a furbaby companion? Tell me all about them! 🐾

—

#cozyreads #readingescape #bookishvibes #bookaesthetic #booknerd book animals, cats of Instagram, book cats, fantasy books, romance books, cozy aesthetic
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Fashion · April 23, 2018

5 Tips to Brighten Your Casual Spring Closet

Bright and cheery clothing makes the world go round.

At least, they make my world go round, that’s for sure! I’m such a huge fan of vibrant colors and patterns in my wardrobe that I actually wrote a post a while back on how to add those pieces to your closet. However, this time I want to chat specifically about how to brighten your casual spring style, because I feel like going into spring and summer, it’s super important to incorporate those happy tones as much as humanly possible – without looking like a walking rainbow (although if that’s your thing, then you do you, boo)!

I can’t wear boring clothes. It’s just not in me! I know a lot of people prefer to wear casual over dressy apparel, but that doesn’t mean those pieces have to be totally blasé. Keep reading to find out my 5 tips to brightening up your casual spring closet!


Outfit Details
top | skirt | earrings | necklace | bag | similar sneakers | similar cardigan

One. Make sure your “basic” pieces have a little extra something to them. For instance, my denim mini skirt can pair with just about anything. A band tee, a blouse, or even a comfy bodysuit. But it’s not your average denim skirt. The lace-up style adds something that makes it stand out!

Two. Vibrancy is everything if you’re pairing with basics. My crop top is the happiest shade of yellow (a color I’m totally into lately) and immediately makes this entire outfit POP! Instead of sticking to neutrals, find a way to incorporate a stand-out color.

Three. Take your makeup to a whole new level. For years I stuck to light pinks and shades of red for my lipstick. Now I’m branching out and finding that purples and golds and even dark grunge-y colors are way more fun. Make sure you’re comfortable in the color, of course – and that it suits your skin tone. And don’t be afraid to use contrasting colors from what you’re wearing. Sometimes that makes it even better!

Four. Layering is a key component. I think when the warmer weather hits that people begin to think they can’t layer anymore since it’s too hot. I think that’s silly! You can still bring along a light cardigan, wear a tee under a strappy piece, or add on extra accessories. Until the weather starts to creep towards 100°, you always have the option to layer somehow, and it helps to brighten your whole look if those layers are fun colors!

Five. Grab a great pair of sneakers. I’m a Superstars gal, but I also love wearing a good, stark-white sneaker with just about any casual outfit.

In: Fashion · Tagged: bright, casual outfit, denim skirt, Forever 21, greenhouse, lace up skirt, layered, mini skirt, spring fashion, spring style, yellow and gold, yellow top

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39 Comments
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Donna
7 years ago

I love your bright and cheery style!

Reply
Helena Marz
7 years ago

I love the yellow on you, it totally suits you and so in love with that denim skirt wkth the lace up details❤️

Reply
Carolyn
7 years ago

I love these tips! I used to be someone that only wore neutrals, but lately I’ve been branching out into some brighter colors and prints and I’ve been loving it! This top is super cute too. You look great!

Reply
Rebecca Piersol
7 years ago

These pix are SO fun, girl! Loving the greenhouse – might be stealing that one 😉

xx Reb

Reply
Michelle Zavodny
7 years ago

I love that bag!

Reply
Helena Marz
7 years ago

I love the yellow on you, it totally suits you and so in love with that denim skirt wkth the lace up details❤️

Reply
Cathy
7 years ago

Great tips! Love the lace up details on your skirt, so cute!!

XOXO
Cathy

Reply
Anna English
7 years ago

I love adding fun pops of color during spring/ summer!

Reply
Carolyn
7 years ago

I love these tips! I used to be someone that only wore neutrals, but lately I’ve been branching out into some brighter colors and prints and I’ve been loving it! This top is super cute too. You look great!

Reply
Tanvi Rastogi
7 years ago

These pictures are sooo fun. Love the mustard top. Great tips!

❥ tanvii.com

Reply
Deborah
7 years ago

I seriously love everything about this outfit! That top is seriously cute!
Also, great tips!

Reply
Laura || Walking in Memphis in High Heels
7 years ago

I love this denim skirt, the lace up detail is so fun! I love that bright top too! Great outfit and tips!

Reply
Tanvi Rastogi
7 years ago

These pictures are sooo fun. Love the mustard top. Great tips!

❥ tanvii.com

Reply
Kenzi || Life of a Sister
7 years ago

That mustard top is so cute! I love that denim skirt, the lace up detail really gives it something extra!

Reply
Megan
7 years ago

You pull off this yellow so well! I also agree that a good pair of sneakers is EVERYTHING.

Megan | http://www.pipmegan.com

Reply
Gita
7 years ago

You are definitely NEVER boring with your outfits 😉

Reply
Whit
7 years ago

i love a great pair of white sneakers!

Whitney of Whit Wanders

Reply
Kileen
7 years ago

I am loving this top girl and this skirt is so cute! love the details.

Kileen
cute & little

Reply
Celeste Godoy
7 years ago

You look so cute and these photos are the best! Love the idea of layering when it’s not so cool anymore. I’ll definitely try to do that more often!

Reply
Liz
7 years ago

That top is super cute! The color looks amazing on you!

Reply
the eye traveler
7 years ago

you look so beautiful in this outfit! I’ve been obsessed with yellow for spring too!

Reply
Liz
7 years ago

That top is super cute! The color looks amazing on you!

Reply
the eye traveler
7 years ago

you look so beautiful in this outfit! I’ve been obsessed with yellow for spring too!

Reply
Nicole
7 years ago

I like FUN and BOLD pieces too! It’s just so much more exciting and makes me happier!

Reply
Greta
7 years ago

I love brightening up my spring wardrobe with skirts and pops of yellow! Great tips girl!

Reply
Ciera Chang
7 years ago

You are so cute!! I love the mix of denim and the pop of yellow. Such a great way to brighten up your spring wardrobe!

Reply
Sharon Wu
7 years ago

you are the cutest girl! i am loving that mustard yellow crop top. it certainly adds a nice pop of color! i have a similar one and have been wearing it on repeat these days 🙂 xo, sharon

Reply
Thuy
7 years ago

I agree with your tip on branching out different colors with makeup. I do that with lipstick colors, especially now that summer is here.

Reply
Delia
7 years ago

Ok I love yellow and I love wearing sneakers with skirts! I’ll definItely be following your tips ASAP!

Reply
Azanique
7 years ago

I love this top girl! So cute on you 🙂

-xo, Azanique | http://www.lotsofsass.com

Reply
Kristin
7 years ago

Love the idea of pairing a bright piece with an elevated basic, like a lace-up denim skirt. And always sneakers, because comfort and cuteness!

Reply
Varuna Jithesh
7 years ago

Nice and Perfect looking outfit..

Reply
Varuna Jithesh
7 years ago

Nice and Perfect looking outfit..

Reply
Rebecca Piersol
6 years ago

These pix are SO fun, girl! Loving the greenhouse – might be stealing that one 😉

xx Reb

Reply
Laura || Walking in Memphis in
6 years ago

I love this denim skirt, the lace up detail is so fun! I love that bright top too! Great outfit and tips!

Reply
Anna English
6 years ago

I love adding fun pops of color during spring/ summer!

Reply
Deborah
6 years ago

I seriously love everything about this outfit! That top is seriously cute!
Also, great tips!

Reply
Whit
6 years ago

i love a great pair of white sneakers!

Whitney of Whit Wanders

Reply
Megan
6 years ago

You pull off this yellow so well! I also agree that a good pair of sneakers is EVERYTHING.

Megan | http://www.pipmegan.com

Reply
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The Perfect Spring Sundress

Welcome to The Espresso Edition, a cozy bookish blog (with just a pinch of lifestyle goodness). I'm Stephanie, and I'm overjoyed to welcome you to this safe space designed for book lovers old and new who are seeking everything from book recommendations to reading tips to reviews and so much more.

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Recommend a book that feels like a fairytale 🧚🏼‍♀️ Recommend a book that feels like a fairytale 🧚🏼‍♀️

Recently, I finished THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER by @timesnewrachel ☀️ While it was quite different from the modern, witchy fantasy books I’ve come to associate with her (otherwise known as some of my favorite books of all time), she has created a signature style of storytelling that made reading *this book* feel like coming home 🥰

I felt it instantly when I sensed her intense love for nature and the earth woven through the story, paired with such atmospheric writing that I regularly forgot I was not *in* the ethereal, whimsical world I was reading about 🌌 I felt it again in the way she writes of longing and love so powerful that there’s no doubt the characters will overcome every obstacle they face together 🤎 I felt it once more when I began to cry over supporting characters that (possibly) weren’t meant to elicit such strong emotions in the first place 🥹

THE SUN AND THE STARMAKER was everything I could possibly hope and dream a fairytale would be. It was beautiful and magical, and left me feeling so filled with joy and hope. It’s an absolute masterpiece 🙌🏼

Have you read this or any of Rachel’s other books? 📚

—

#fantasyreads #fantasybooklover #thesunandthestarmaker #rachelgriffin #fairytalebooks escapism, book hangover, fantasy books, book recs, reread worthy, favorite author
Tell me the last vampire book you read 🧛🏻‍♀️ I go Tell me the last vampire book you read 🧛🏻‍♀️

I gotta be real honest with y’all... I don’t read a ton of vampire books 😅 I was a wolf girly starting in middle school, and that really hasn’t changed much. I do love a good vampire book, but they haven’t always been my favorite supernatural creature 🙈

However, maybe due to the V.E. Schwab magic, I absolutely adored Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil 😍 It was precisely as toxic as she promised it would be, and I ATE IT UP. It was dark, seductive, sometimes bloody, and there was never a dull moment. I genuinely didn’t want it to end.

Have you read this one yet? 📖

—

#buryourbonesinthemidnightsoil #veschwab #vampirebooks #fantasyreads #fantasybooklover supernatural fantasy, book hangover, fantasy world-building, book recs, reread worthy, sapphic, late-night chapters @veschwabfeatures
Do you pay close attention to monthly releases? 📖 Do you pay close attention to monthly releases? 📖

For several years, I would write a blog article every month that included somewhere between 20-40 new releases 🫢 While I was working my previous job, I didn’t have the opportunity to blog, let alone pay attention to new releases, and I feel like I missed SO MANY 🙈 

I’m happy to be back to blogging semi-regularly, and equally thrilled to be back in the habit of knowing which books are coming out each month! 🙌🏼 If you swipe through, you can see 24 March releases and their corresponding release dates 🗓️

Which of these titles are you most looking forward to reading? 🤎

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyreads #readersofinstagram cozy read, new book releases, fantasy books, book recs, TBR, romance books, late-night chapters
Do you have a library card? 🪪 Ya girl is the self Do you have a library card? 🪪

Ya girl is the self-proclaimed biggest fan of the library to ever walk the earth 🌍 Okay, that could be an exaggeration, but most of the time it doesn’t feel like one. I cried with happiness over my first library card as a kid, and I won’t purchase a book until I’ve borrowed it from the library and loved it enough to own it. I have 5 library cards, swear by Libby and Hoopla for all of my audiobooks and ebooks, and at this point, I feel like an Arthur tattoo might be necessary (IYKYK) 😂

But I digress... February is National Library Lovers’ Month, and I think you should get a library card (or 5) and celebrate not only the perk of FREE BOOKS but also the countless ways public libraries are integral to our lives and communities! 🙌🏼

What was the last library book you checked out? 📖

—

#nationallibraryloversmonth #libraryloversmonth #bookcommunity #bookphotography #readersofinstagram support your public library, library lovers, bookish vibes, cozy aesthetic, book nerd
If you could only recommend one book for the rest If you could only recommend one book for the rest of your life, what would it be? 📖

This one has been an easy answer for me since 2020, when I read THE MIDNIGHT LIBRARY. It completely changed my life.

Since then, I have recommended it to countless people, and have felt intense amounts of joy as I’ve seen those people recommend it to others, buy copies for friends, suggest it for their book clubs, and come back to me to tell me how it changed their life just like it changed mine 🥰

Which book would you say changed your life for the better? 🤎

—

#themidnightlibrary #magicalrealism #mentalhealthbooks #bookcommunity #bookishvibes Matt Haig, books with mental health rep, magical realism books, book recs, favorite books, escapism, book hangover, reread worthy, comfort book
Would you want to have the same occupation as the Would you want to have the same occupation as the main character(s) in your last read? 💼

I recently finished Thunderhead, and I absolutely would *NOT* want to be a Scythe! 🙅🏻‍♀️ I also definitely wouldn’t want to be in the shoes of the royalty in my other previous read, A Psalm of Storms and Silence 😬

Is there a book character’s “career” that you know you would love to have? 💭

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyaesthetic #readersofinstagram current read, currently reading, cozy aesthetic, escapism, late-night chapters, what I’m reading
Is there an author who consistently writes books t Is there an author who consistently writes books that bring you to tears? 😭

I have cried while reading every single one of Amber’s books... and that’s only a small part of what keeps me coming back for more 🤎

I’m struggling with even knowing how to put in words what her books mean to me, because even thinking about it is making me tear up 🥹 So instead of trying to craft the perfect thing to say, I’m just going to urge you to read everything she’s written. You can thank me later 🙏🏼

What was the last book that made you cry? 📖

—

#theleavingroom #booklover #bookcommunity #cozyreads #bookishvibes poetry, Amber McBride, The Leaving Room, sapphic books, books that will make you cry, book hangover, book recs, reread worthy, late-night chapters
Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛ I absolutely Who are your favorite book pets? 🐈‍⬛

I absolutely love when a book has animals in it—whether that’s someone’s pet, familiar, or when the animal is the main character 😻

I’m always absurdly happy when there’s a cat, and if they have a creative name it’s even better. I think the stand-out for me was a cat named The Darkling in Accidentally Amy. I’ll never forget it! 😂

Do you have a furbaby companion? Tell me all about them! 🐾

—

#cozyreads #readingescape #bookishvibes #bookaesthetic #booknerd book animals, cats of Instagram, book cats, fantasy books, romance books, cozy aesthetic
Do you tend to enjoy book-to-screen adaptations? 🤔 Do you tend to enjoy book-to-screen adaptations? 🤔

I’m always torn between excitement over seeing my favorite stories come to life and anxiety about what they might change and how it could disappoint me 😅

I fell head over heels in love with the adaptation of People We Meet on Vacation 🤎 For those who don’t know, this is not only my favorite EmHen, but it’s my all-time favorite romance book. I was lucky enough to read an ARC of it in 2021 and have inhaled every format of it multiple times since 🥰

I was nervous about the movie, but loved how they stayed true to the *vibe* of PWMOV 🏖️ Even with the changes they did make, Alex and Poppy were precisely as I had always imagined them, and I adored watching every second of their friends to lovers romance 🎥

This is a negativity-free zone! If you loved the PWMOV movie as much as I did, tell me your favorite part of the film! 🍿

—

#romancebooks #peoplewemeetonvacation #romancebooklover #bookishvibes #bookaesthetic romance books, romance reads, Emily Henry, popular romances, book adaptations, romance movie, Netflix
Tell me about your book-related dreams 💭 Do you w Tell me about your book-related dreams 💭

Do you want to open a bookstore? Write a novel? Become an editor? Get a bookish tattoo? Host an author panel? 

This is a place to put your hopes and dreams out there in the universe. You never know what might happen! 😉

As for me? I want to own a book bus that eventually becomes a brick and mortar bookshop with a café and apothecary. I want it to be the kind of comforting and safe atmosphere that allows people to feel like they can just *breathe* for a little while whenever they visit. That’s my dream ☕️

So, if this dream becomes reality, where should I take my book bus first? 📍

—

#bookcommunity #bookphotography #bookaesthetic #cozyreads #readersofinstagram book dreams, cozy aesthetic, bookshop bookstore, book influencer, book blogger

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