Showing posts with label Monthly Wrap-Up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Monthly Wrap-Up. Show all posts

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Where'd You Go September?: Monthly Wrap-Up!

Where in the world did September go?

Actually though, I feel like we just skipped over September it went by so fast. The blog was silent last month because I was So Dang Busy and was having Lots Of Trouble writing reviews. I didn't get much reading done either! But, I had an incredible September that I wouldn't trade for the world. Here's an update!

Top Three Things I Did (Outside of Reading!)

1. 101 Week!
- This was my third year being a guide (my first as an exec member) and it was incredible, exhausting, and memorable. I didn't get much of anything done that first week of September (and I'm still playing catch-up!) but it was totally worth it.

2. CityFolk Fest! Kodaline! Live Music!
- CityFolk Fest relaunched this year and featured an absolutely incredible line-up. My favourite bands almost NEVER play in Ottawa, so having two of them in one weekend was mind-boggling. I went (along with Jess from Read My Breath Away!) to three of the five days and got to see The Sheepdogs, The Avett Brothers, Of Monsters and Men, and Passenger. I was basically in musical heaven. And then the next week (not part of CityFolk) I got to see the incredible Kodaline live! It was quite the month for live music here in Ottawa.

3. Madly Launch Party!
- Another thing we don't have a lot of in Ottawa is bookish events. So when they do happen, it's always hugely exciting. This month, the lovely Amy Alward launched her new book Madly here in Ottawa! Amy is so sweet and wonderful and I had an awesome time at the launch party. I'll do a full recap (hopefully) this week!


Books, Books, Books!

Read
1) A Curious Tale of the In-Between (Pram #1) by Lauren DeStefano (3 stars)
3) Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller (4.5 stars)

Purchased
The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler
Madly (Potion #1) by Amy Alward

Received for Review
The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
Julia Vanishes by Catherine Egan
The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter

Soundtrack of My September

I don't download a ton of new music last month, but I did listen to a couple of songs on repeat. 

"Vicious Love" - New Found Glory (feat. Hayley Williams)
Favourite Lyric: "Living in tension with you still feels better than anything I've ever known."
Why I Love It: Hayley Williams voice is, as always, incredible and the harmonies with New Found Glory are perfect. It's just an awesome, addicting song.

"Laundry Room" - The Avett Brothers
Favourite Lyric: "I am a breathing time machine, I'll take you all for a ride"
Why I Love It: Man, this song just gets me in the gut. I really do love everything about it.

"Victorious" - Panic! at the Disco
Favourite Lyric: "50 words for murder, and I'm every one of them."
Why I Love It: This song was only released at the end of September but I've listened to it approximately a thousand times since then. I'm obsessed.
 
Looking Forward to October
- October will probably be less life-busy but definitely more school-busy. It'll be midterm/assignment season soon which means I'll be hiding from the world and frantically flipping through textbooks. But! I hope I'll actually have time for more reading and catching up on blog stuff. I've already read two books (which is more than half of what I read last month!) so I have a good feeling!

 What did you do last month? What are you most looking forward to in October?

 Let me know in the comments!

- Ciara (Lost at Midnight)
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Thursday, August 6, 2015

Goodbye July: Monthly Wrap-Up!

Hi, everyone!

I've decided to start doing a monthly wrap-up post (inspired by Jamie from The Perpetual Page-Turner's Monthly Rewind) here on the blog! I've loved reading wrap-up posts and thought it was about time I did one myself. This one is coming a bit late (August is always a crazy time for me!) but here it is!
Top Three Things I Did (Outside of Reading!)
1. Visited my bestie.
- My bestie lives about seven hours away from me, which means we get to see each other once a year. This time, it was my turn to go down to her place and I spent six awesome days getting to hang out with one of the best people I know. We went shopping, played dinosaur mini-golf, went to Wonderland, got lots of and lots of ice cream, went to Niagara Falls and basically had the best dang time. It was definitely the highlight of my summer.

2. Got my nose pierced!
- I've been thinking about getting my nose pierced for, like, ever. And the bestie got a little obsessed with piercings and I decided if I was going to do it, I might as well have the moral support and here we are! I don't have a good shot of it just yet (my hair needs a bit of a re-dye so after that) but here's the pic right after it happened. (You can't see hers since it's flipped up).

3. Went to Calypso!
- Calypso is the awesome waterpark about 45min outside the city and I was so happy I got to go this year! My friends and I got discount tickets and spent a hot (and then creepy storm cloudy) day going on awesome rides and laughing. Twas wonderful.

Books Read

I didn't read as much as I would've liked, but what I did read was really damn great.

1) Moonglass by Jessi Kirby (4 stars)
2) Right of Way by Lauren Barnholdt (4 stars)
3) Yes Please by Amy Poehler (5 stars)
4) Bright Before Sunrise by Tiffany Schmidt (5 stars)
5) Through the Ever Night by Veronica Rossi (5 stars)
6) Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi (4.5 stars) 

Blog Activity
Well, the blog was pretty inactive this month. In fairness, I was pretty dang busy and on vacation much of that time.



Soundtrack of My Summer
 
Something you guys might not know about me is that I'm a huge music lover. I'm really passionate about the bands I love and push them on as many people as I can. I read all the liner notes, collect CDs, and quote lyrics like it's going out of style. This month I've been listening to:

"Miles Away" - The Maine

Favourite Lyric: "A tongue full of only tomorrow's will never quench your thirst for today"
Why I Love It: This is such a fun, summer song and I adore it with all my heart.

"21 and Invincible" - Something Corporate
Favourite Lyric: "We're 21 and invincible, I can't wait to f**k this up."
Why I Love It: I'm only 21 for six more days (OMG WUT) and this song has been the soundtrack of my year. It's all about how much possibility is it front of you 

"Human" - Of Monsters and Men
Favourite Lyric: "I am lost and led only by stars"
Why I Love It: It's so enchanting and the lyrics crawl right into your soul.

"Brand New Day" - Kodaline
Favourite Lyric: "I'll be flicking stones at your window, I'll be waiting outside 'til your ready to go, won't you come down, come away with me?"
Why I Love It: Currently my favourite Kodaline song. It captures that feeling of wanderlust while also reminding me of all the possibilities summer has to offer.

"Keep In Mind, Transmorgrification Is a New Technology" - Mayday Parade

Favourite Lyric: "You'll say you lack the courage and guts of a hero even when they're on your side"
Why I Love It: NEW MAYDAY PARADE. Mayday Parade is my favourite band. Has been for the last eight years. This new song is a bit of a throwback to their original EP but also a new kind of style. And I really like it. October 9th can't come soon enough. 
Looking Ahead at August
- August is always nuts for me. I usually try to squeeze in every last bit of summer I can out of the month, and it always goes by too fast. It's also my birthday month (eee!) and the month 101 Week starts. I'm an exec member of my student association now which means I'm even more involved in 101 Week than usual. August is  So! Lots of stuff happening!

 How was your July? I hope it was awesome!

 - Ciara (Lost at Midnight)

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