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 · June 4, 2018

Quintessential Summer Fashion & Beauty Items

It’s summer. It’s summer! Run and tell all your friends that I’m sharing the most quintessential fashion and beauty items.

Okay, okay, so technically the first day of summer is June 21st, but I’m already feeling pretty prepared considering how hot it’s been in RVA lately. Recently, someone asked me what my summer essentials were for this year, and I thought, “why haven’t I put together a blog post on that yet?” So, here it is! Keep reading on to see what I’m piling into my summer wardrobe and beauty drawers!


Outfit Details
similar top | skort | similar shoes | similar bag | earrings

Straw Bags

I took a poll on Instagram a few days ago to see how many of you loved this trend and how many hated it. I was not even a wee bit surprised that over 90% of ya’ll were all about this vacation-vibes accessory!

White Shoes

I mean, this seems like a no-brainer. They match with literally everything. And if you happen to snag the pair I’m wearing, you certainly won’t regret it because they’re comfy AF.

Skorts

I’ve proclaimed my love for skorts a few times, yet here we are again. They’re the perfect combo for a long-legged gal like myself. They cover up everything and still look like a mini skirt!

Layered Gold Necklaces

Again, a piece that just goes with everything. I’ve found myself rotating between a handful of gold necklaces lately and I just can’t stop myself. They’re so lovely and dainty!

Highlighter

I can’t think of many things better than a good glow, so shimmery highlighters are one of my favorite parts of summer makeup. I’ve been rocking a lilac-toned strobe highlighter lately, but I’m totally eyeing a gorgeous peachy one now!

Dry Shampoo

A.K.A. my hair’s saving grace. As someone with color-treated red hair, it can be such a challenge to maintain the richness of the tone – especially in the summer sun, sweat, and chlorine. Dry shampoo helps me wash my hair less and still keep it looking 100.

White Tops

I’ll never get enough of bright white clothing in the summertime (or any other time of year)! It shows off your tan, is easy to style, and there are plenty of options outside your typical “plain white tee.”

Are there any quintessential summer fashion or beauty items you can’t live without?

In: Fashion · Tagged: affordable fashion, Forever 21, quintessential summer, skort, straw bag, summer 2018, summer essentials, summer fashion, summer fashion and beauty items, summer style, white shoes, yellow skirt

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38 Comments
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Morgan Klein
7 years ago

I’m definitely going to order one of these straw bags. I’m going on vacation soon and have been looking for one for so long!

Reply
Talina
7 years ago

You are just the cutest! Love this whole look, babe – that skirt is such a perfect summer item!

Reply
Donna
7 years ago

I think I’m going to look for a straw bag. They are so fun! Great ideas!!

Reply
Carolyn
7 years ago

I love all the pieces you chose! I’d pick these all myself. I am dying over straw bags! I see so many different styles and I think that I need them all 😉

Reply
Morgan Klein
7 years ago

I’m definitely going to order one of these straw bags. I’m going on vacation soon and have been looking for one for so long!

Reply
Brooke
7 years ago

Okay I am obsessed with that skort! You look so cute!

Reply
Tonya Tardiff
7 years ago

Love the straw bags! Def need to get one for myself, so cute!

Reply
Talina
7 years ago

You are just the cutest! Love this whole look, babe – that skirt is such a perfect summer item!

Reply
Cathy
7 years ago

Cute outfit, I love your handbag! It’s perfect for summer!

XOXO
Cathy

Reply
Mollie
7 years ago

YAY FOR SUMMER!! Although here in London it really doesn’t get too hot lol… summer here feels like spring everywhere else. I am totally in love with this outfit on you though! I need this top!

xx Mollie

Reply
Kate
7 years ago

You’re adorable, and this post is SO good! Love all of these essentials (I need one of those white tops for sure!)
-Kate // http://www.classyandkate.com

Reply
Tonya Tardiff
7 years ago

Love the straw bags! Def need to get one for myself, so cute!

Reply
Kate
7 years ago

You’re adorable, and this post is SO good! Love all of these essentials (I need one of those white tops for sure!)
-Kate // http://www.classyandkate.com

Reply
Katie
7 years ago

I’m all about white tops this summer too! I’m also loving the straw purses. I haven’t found the right one yet, but I’m on the look out!

Reply
Ruthie Ridley
7 years ago

Fully obsessed with the bags and the white shoes!!! Time for me to shop!!

Reply
Katie
7 years ago

I’m all about white tops this summer too! I’m also loving the straw purses. I haven’t found the right one yet, but I’m on the look out!

Reply
Kenzi || Life of a Sister
7 years ago

I love these essentials! The bags and white shoes are definitely going to be my favorites this year! I love the white tops too, I just wish I could find ones that are less see through.

Reply
Torey
7 years ago

cute little white tops and highlighter are my two essentials! x

Reply
Laura Leigh
7 years ago

Yes, yes, yes to straw bags! They are my absolute favorite. I truly don’t think I could ever have enough of them haha. Love this look lady! So fun and perfect for the summer season.

xo Laura Leigh
http://www.louellareese.com

Reply
Kenzi || Life of a Sister
7 years ago

I love these essentials! The bags and white shoes are definitely going to be my favorites this year! I love the white tops too, I just wish I could find ones that are less see through.

Reply
Torey
7 years ago

cute little white tops and highlighter are my two essentials! x

Reply
Laura Leigh
7 years ago

Yes, yes, yes to straw bags! They are my absolute favorite. I truly don’t think I could ever have enough of them haha. Love this look lady! So fun and perfect for the summer season.

xo Laura Leigh
http://www.louellareese.com

Reply
Tanvi Rastogi
7 years ago

I still don’t own a star bag … your’s is cute! You look good in everything you wear 🙂

❥ tanvii.com

Reply
Deborah
7 years ago

WOW I seriously love everything about this outfit! It’s so summer!
Also, I need to get myself a straw bag stat!

Reply
Taylor Mobley
7 years ago

Can you come redo my closet? You always look flawless.

Reply
Sharon Wu
7 years ago

OMGGGG so much yes for that bag and your skirt! gives me so much life. the cutest outfit for sure! xoxo

Reply
Kelsey
7 years ago

How freaking cute are you!!!! In love with that skirt and bag! xo

Reply
Whitney
7 years ago

ok i love everything about this look! you are so cute!

Reply
Anna English
7 years ago

This skirt is so fun and cheerful. I love the button detail.

Reply
lydia
7 years ago

The last photo of you, I am obsessing over! So fun and so cute, as always! I feel like you read my mind with all of these summer essentials, all so good! One thing I can’t live without for the summer is a cute graphic tee.

xo, Lydia

Reply
JoJo
7 years ago

You look so cute! I love your bag. AND those cactiiii! Adorable. xoxo

Reply
Nailil
7 years ago

I am loving this drawback trend, but haven’t found one that I like it. I love the one you’re wearing though.

Xx, Nailil
http://thirtyminusone.com/

Reply
Tara Fuller
7 years ago

this yellow is perfect. the buttons make the skirt so fun!

Reply
Cathy
6 years ago

Cute outfit, I love your handbag! It’s perfect for summer!

XOXO
Cathy

Reply
Mollie
6 years ago

YAY FOR SUMMER!! Although here in London it really doesn’t get too hot lol… summer here feels like spring everywhere else. I am totally in love with this outfit on you though! I need this top!

xx Mollie

Reply
Ruthie Ridley
6 years ago

Fully obsessed with the bags and the white shoes!!! Time for me to shop!!

Reply
Brooke
6 years ago

Okay I am obsessed with that skort! You look so cute!

Reply
Tanvi Rastogi
6 years ago

I still don’t own a star bag … your’s is cute! You look good in everything you wear 🙂

❥ tanvii.com

Reply
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The Ultimate Summer Uniform

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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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