T.H.E. May R.E.P.O.R.T.
Monthly R.E.P.O.R.T. | Reads. Events. Posts. Occasions. Recommendations. Tips. and what’s on T.H.E radar
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Welcome to my new monthly wrap-up format! I’ve seen a few bookstagrammers and bloggers that share variations of a monthly R.E.P.O.R.T., and I thought I’d put my own spin on the idea.
First up I’ll be sharing about all the things that kept me busy in May, then I’ll share about upcoming books, events, and holidays coming in June that are on my radar. Scroll on and I hope you enjoy!
R.E.P.O.R.T. | Reads. Events. Posts. Occasions. Recommendations. Tips.
R | Reading. Read & Recommending.
✨4 Books Read in May
🩵 A Tempest of Tea - enjoyed | lots of tea and a bit of blood
🩵 The Story Edge by Kindra Hall - loved | there’s always more to the story
🩵 A Court of Thorns and Roses - loved | Finally started the series and am ready to binge my way through them all!
🩵 A Court of Mist and Fury - loved | I’ve been alternating between this series and something non-romantasy. Trying to binge but also savor it a bit and not consume the stories too quickly.
✨Currently Reading 4 Books
🩵 When in Rome by Sarah Adams | about 25% in and really enjoying it
🩵 Wild Love by Elsie Silver on audiobook | Finally diving in - I’ve heard such good things about her books and am enjoying the first book in this series
🩵 The Open-Air Life | enjoying the reminder to take time to connect with nature. We’re raising a little human and we want to instill a love of nature and adventure in her, and that starts with us.
🩵 The Perfect Story by Karen Eber | enjoying the common theme in quite a few of my recent picks that focus on telling a story.
E | Excursions. Events. Entertainment.
✨Excursion: The Oregon Zoo - Mother’s Day weekend we took our kiddo to the zoo for the first time and she seemed to enjoy it, especially the water animals. Next excursion will definitely be to an aquarium.
✨Entertainment: Movies
🩵 Jlo in Atlas (enjoyed)
🩵 Jenna Ortega in Miller’s Girl (it was okay)
🩵 Think Like a Man Too (it was funny)
🩵 IF - first movie we’ve seen in theaters in over 13 months and I was so excited there was a Ryan Reynolds movie! It was sad and sweet and overall enjoyable.
✨Entertainment: Tv shows
🩵 Bridgerton S3 | binge watched the first four episodes in two days. You know where it’s going and yet I can’t wait until June 13th to watch it happen!
🩵 The Summer Baking Competition - amazing what some bakers can whip up!
🩵 Binged all of Plebs (dumb funny. But the last season wasn’t as good without one of the main characters)
🩵 Ciao House - loving this show and feeling inspired by all of the amazing dishes the chefs make. One thing I don’t like about the show’s format is that the chefs vote each other out instead of being voted out by the show hosts.
✨Entertainment: I completely forgot to re-pause our monthly membership to the local movie theatre (difficult to go when you don’t have local family to babysit the kiddo), so we’ve each got 7 credits to use. I saw the trailer for Wicked and almost cried tears of delight. Super excited to see that when it comes out.
P | Previous Posts:
🩵 Book Review: A Court of Thorns and Roses
🩵 Book Review: A Tempest of Tea
🩵 Milestone Achieved: The Joyful Book Blogger received its first paid subscriber!
O | Obsessing Over:
✨Olive & June’s nautical summer collection launch. The only thing missing is little nautical nail stickers. Hoping to see a beginner level how-to video on how to make anchors on my nails. ⚓️ 🌊
✨Product launch: the Emily Cromwell Designs new botanical designs and all of her beautiful book sleeves. Don’t forget you can use my rep code ARIELLE10 to save 10%.
✨I’m currently obsessing over all of the cute Rifle Paper designs and goodies. Trying my best to not buy everything but it’s so hard when it’s all so pretty!
Recommendations & Resources
🍰 Recommendation: Portland local baker ‘Hey Cake Girl’; picked up macarons and pretty sugar cookies at the weekend market. Everything was beautiful and tasted fantastic. By far one of the best sugar cookies I’ve ever had - perfectly soft without being too soft or crumbly and the decorations actually tasted good - unlike a lot of the stuff on the market today that’s just decorated to be pretty.
📚The Ultimate Summer Reading List {The Booklist Queen}
📚Your Summer Reading List is Here {Oprah}
Tips & Life Hacks
✨ Using AirTags: One of the best random tips I received this month was from a colleague preparing to move. They’re shipping their stuff with moving pods and placed Apple AirTags in some of the boxes. They also use AirTags in their luggage when they travel. How clever is that?!
On T.H.E. Radar | TBR. Holidays. Events.
Top of the TBR - books releasing in June
June 4th - not pictured
Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon
Holidays - what I’m excited for this month
🎉 June 1st: National Nail Polish Day - and it was my birthday!
🎉 June 3rd: National Macaroon Day
🎉 June 16th: Father’s Day
🎉 June 18th: International Sushi Day
🎉 June 19th: Juneteenth
🎉 June 20th: First Day of Summer | Longest Day of the Year
🗓️ Check out the full list of holidays in June below or check out all holidays through the end of the year on my 2024 holiday post!
Events & Entertainment
✨ Event - Instagram Giveaways: To keep the festivities going I’m celebrating my birthday all month! Check out my Instagram page for new book giveaways throughout the whole month.
✨✨Bonus for subscribers that read through this whole post: send me a message (code word birthday blog post 10 bonus) on Instagram to get 10 extra entries to every giveaway you enter this month!
✨Movies:
🎞️ Deadpool & Wolverine - July 26th
🎞️ Harold and the Purple Crayon - August 2nd
🎞️ Wicked Part 1 - November 27th
🎞️ Moana 2 - November 27th
✨ TV:
📺 S3 pt2 Bridgerton - June 13th
📺 S4 Emily in Paris - August 15th: first 5 eps
📺 S4 Emily in Paris - September 12th: next 5 eps
I’d love to know what you think of this new monthly format and I hope to see you over on Instagram!
