Last Updated on May 31, 2020 by ThoughtsStained

Hello, lovelies!

By the end of this month, I’ll have been self-isolating for roughly 80 days. Which is a long time to hardly ever see your family and not see any friends. It’s a long time, especially when the world is so desperately trying to force a normal to return to when the threat of the virus isn’t gone and maybe we should reevaluate the normal we want to rush bad to so badly in the first place? It’s been hard, but we’re hanging in there. Still awaiting word to hear what my future is going to be this fall, whether the university I work at is going to be online or in-person. Otherwise, we’re doing orientation online for the first time, so we’ll see how that goes. And I’m staying busy with writing and reading and client editing, so there’s never really a dull day, truly.

What I Read

Heart on Fire by Bec McMaster [RTC]
Soulbinder by Sebastian de Castell [Review]
Queenslayer by Sebastian de Castell [Review]
Crownbreaker by Sebastian de Castell [Review]

What I Hauled

ARCS

**Nothing this month!**

Library Snags:

**Nothing this month**

Purchased:

**Nothing this month**

Received for Review:

**Nothing this month**

Gifts:

**Nothing this month**

What I Posted

In this section, I like to share posts that I personally wrote this past month that I either really enjoyed writing, am really proud of or wish might have gotten a little more attention.

🏰 It’s Okay to Not Be Okay: a reminder that the world is upside down right now and you don’t need to deny that you might not be at your best right now.
🏰 Writer Wonders No 1 and 2: I started a new series of answering questions about writing and it has been so much fun to write.
🏰 Editing a Novel as an Impostor: talking about processing professional feedback and believing in yourself and your story.

Reading Challenges Update

A new section I decided to add this year, so I can actually keep track of the challenges I signed up for (so I’ll hopefully actually complete them this time around).

2020 Discussion Challenge: 2/12 Discussion Posts

• Hey, I finally wrote one, this one covering my reading habits I’m proud of and those I hope to improve upon. I planned to write another, but then I decided to write some other random musing-type posts instead and I’m totally okay with that!

Year of the Asian Readathon: 1/20

• I am FINALLY making progress on this Readathon! And what a book to start off on, damn.

StartonYourShelfathon: 6/143 (3/67 ARCs)

• Is this…progress I see? 👀👀👀 INCLUDING ARCS?! I’m shook.

Goodreads: 17/150

• I’m only 43 books behind as we start the 6th month of out 12 for the year. It’s fine. Everything is fine.

Intentions Update

Another new section! To try and hold myself accountable, I’ll be sharing where I’m at on the goals I’ve made for myself this year, all of which I detailed in this post.

Write two novels, edit one and write for me ✔️✖️

I didn’t write as much as I wanted, but we’re making progress! Especially as I’m going to start editing BLOOD PRICE again and I’m STOCKED.

Productive Routine That Promotes Self-Care ✖️

Very…very slowly figuring this out.

Six Clients ✔️

I am at five currently, so I only need one more to hit my goal for this year and I’m super stoked! I definitely hope to work with more clients than this, of course, but still!

Read More ✔️

Giving up social media has done wanders for my reading time!

Cook New Recipes ✔️

Oh, we slayed it this month. We made apple pie for the first time! Homemade pancakes! And a few other things I can’t remember right now, but I was definitely proud of this.

Cherish Connections and Friendships More ✔️

Yep, still doing well with this!

Less Social Media ✔️

It only took a hiatus to make process on this goal. *sighs*

Finish Home Projects ✖️

Negative, Commander.

Wear My Style More ✖️

*shrugs* Maybe I should alter this to actually not being afraid to buy clothes in my size (XL) and then work on finding a style?

Take More Pictures ✔️

*thumbs up*

Posts I Enjoyed

Curious what blog posts I really enjoyed around the blogsophere this month? Check them out here:

⚔️ May @ Forever and Everly shares 25 Books by Asian Authors to read during Asian Heritage Month (or any month of the year, really) and it’s a fantastic list!

⚔️ Madeline @ Happy When Writing shares tips on motivating yourself to write–tips I definitely need to embrace!

⚔️ Caitlin @ Realms of my Mind puts together a list of some of the incredible fantasy books still to be released this year and I am already so behind and they haven’t even come out yet!

⚔️  Amber @ The Literary Phoenix highlights the lack of bards in fantasy fiction and how we should have more of them

⚔️ Marie @ Drizzle and Hurricane Books shares an amazing post about how book blogging has changed and I’m HERE for it.

⚔️ Beth @ Just B More shares a truly amazing post about paying attention to mental illness and mental health and I just positively loved it.

⚔️ C.G. @ Paper Fury shares what kind of mental health representation she wants to see more of in YA books and all I can do is applaud.

⚔️ Chuck Wendig @ TerribleMinds shares a guest post by Steven Spohn about the importance of listening to disabled voices, especially amidst a pandemic.

⚔️ Meredith @ M.A. Crosbie shares a wonderfully inspiring post about writing and depression. Honestly, everyone should be following her blog.

Oh, and wash your hands, yo.

Cheers.