Inside Kimmy's Mind

Today’s review is the second in a duology scheduled for release next month in July. I was super excited to receive an arc for this one. After reading the first one, which ended on a cliffhanger, I couldn’t wait to see how the story continued.

From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.

Ultimately, I found the series interesting. However, when compared to the first one, it didn’t carry the same interest for me. Although, I still wanted to finish the story.

It started strong in the beginning, with this tension between our main characters. It was also building up because Lore was coming into this power that she hadn’t been able to fully embrace due to being captured. This is also where the love triangle comes in again. She was torn between the two male characters but was also conflicted by her primary goal of protecting her fellow humans from the fae and the demon king.

I think where it falls flat for me is that there didn’t feel like there was enough time. Lore’s conflict between being human and having a relationship with a fae was mentioned as though it would be a real conflict, but then it was forgotten. I understand that was more of her concern due to her current situation. The characters move from different locations, and Lore can conquer the mini-conflicts in those places to ultimately accomplish the task that will help her reach her overall goal. However, I wish the characters had more time to develop. I still enjoyed the story, but I kept focusing on how much was left and just felt like we were running out of time, which added to the suspense. But I would have preferred it if this was a trilogy. Not that duologies aren’t doable. Another subplot that was mentioned was how the humans were brought to Alytheria. And in the end, they gloss over it. Which, again, is probably just more proof that I’m sad the series isn’t continuing.

Overall, I enjoyed it and look forward to future books by this author.

The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

“I like looking at you when you’re enjoying a scent.” On a cobblestone street, a moment was shared by two people. One day, by chance… he, a police officer met she, a runaway heiress. She was looking for a job and he welcomed her as the new police station receptionist. Enjoy witty dialogue and bold illustrations, in this in full-color manga collection by Kotteri!

This is very similar to classic films. Even the art style evokes memories of old movie posters. And even though you are guided through this relationship and see it develop, it also feels like you’ve missed several private conversations because the characters act like they’ve known each other for decades. But it’s so adorable. I love the connection the characters have with each other.

Each chapter is like a vignette with no plot per see, aside from seeing them interact with each other. I love stories that are nice palate cleansers. Where you are excited to continue reading their story, but this is digestible for when you’re in a reading slump or between books. Looking forward to reading the next volume.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Japanese hit manga rom-com comes to print! The sweet smiles across the faces of the “perfect” student council duo hide secret, tough-as-nails personalities. These two-faced angels vie for dominance while keeping up their flawless act…but how long will it take for contention to give way to attraction?

This modern spin for fans of classics like Kare Kano: His and Her Circumstances and Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is already a best-seller in Japan!

It’s such an adorable manga! It definitely has Kare Kano vibes. What I love about it so far is how you are thrown into the story fairly quickly. But I’m sure we will learn more about the main characters and their reasons for hiding their true selves as the story progresses.

This feels like it will be a very charming and adorable love story. But I think more importantly it will be a very cute story about their friendship. I’m looking forward to buying this manga when it is released, and I look forward to reading the other volumes.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, we are exploring another bookstore and revisiting different points of time for our main character. However, the title and cover were huge factors that made me stop and want to read this book. But I think this tagline is the main reason.

‘The In-Between Bookstore is a stunning novel of love, self-discovery, and the choices that come with both, for anyone who has ever wondered what their life might be like if they had the chance to go back and take a bigger, braver risk.‘

I appreciate how the story gently pulls you into Darby’s life and explores the reasons behind his feelings of not belonging. Even surrounded by friends, he had unresolved things in his past and present that prevented him from finding meaning in his present.

The use of flashbacks is a great touch; even when certain details come up again, they reveal new layers that help us understand Darby’s thoughts and emotions in a different light. I may not relate to Darby’s experiences in the same way, but especially when you’re young and the world feels so heavy, it is easy not to see the whole picture. Or to be blind when others are struggling, too. I was rooting for him throughout the book. Every time he revisited his younger self, I was excited to see what new things he would learn about himself.

I was so invested in Darby’s search for what was missing in his life. This book got me thinking about my life and what it means to belong. The concept that everything consists of choices and that each decision creates a branch of possible outcomes lingers long after you turn the last page.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Witches, different timelines, and a family curse? These are all things that drew me to this book. I enjoyed the pacing in the beginning. However, although the story was interesting and kept me turning the page, I felt almost rushed towards the end. It alternated between different timelines and would jump between our protagonists and antagonist perspectives. All while keeping things easy to follow.

Even though I wish the bookstore had been featured more throughout the story, I still adored the family bond between the characters. Lenny was my favorite character, and I would love to see side stories featuring her in other lifetimes. Ultimately, it was an enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book to people who enjoy cozy, witchy thrillers.

 The publisher provided my arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I’m off to relax for the rest of the evening. Perhaps I will try to revive this blog once more.

Thanks for reading.

I know it has been a while since the last time I blogged. I have mainly been updating my channel, but I figured I document this. Matt and I bought a house! Our first house, and I am soaring. Aside from being really tired from moving…we still have lots to move, and I am just so excited to get things set up and put in place. This feeling is similar to when I moved into my first apartment with my younger sister Kat. I feel like Matt, and I unlocked another achievement. I’m so excited to make it ours. I hope the cats will get comfortable sooner rather than later. Auggie has already done a lap around the house but Eve is, of course, sulking in her cubby. I doubt she will come around very soon. It will take her much longer to get used to things. She is just so scared of everything. I wish I could offer her a bit of comfort. But there is no making her feel better.

We took this week off so that we could set the house up. It has been a lot of unpacking and even more moving. We did hire movers for the larger stuff. We figured we could handle the other stuff. We have the apartment until the end of July, so we have plenty of time to return the keys. But I’m hoping we can get everything moved over to the house before then.

The house is coming together. I’ll share a house tour as soon as I get more things in place. There are just a few more items I’d like to get.

• coffee table
• end tables
• dressers
• photo frames
• small bedside rugs
• wall shelves for my office
• Ikea pegboard

Ikea is pretty much where Matt and I buy most if not all of our furniture. Our couch is one of the only things that we purchased from Mid In Mod, and I love it. However, my cat has already damaged it a bit, and I’m trying not to let it get to me. So this is the first couch I’ve ever purchase…well, I purchased a sleeper sofa for the guest room, but this couch is the first living room couch I’ve ever purchased, so I would really like it to be nice for a little longer.

And I know it is a couch, and I have cats, so I should just accept that it won’t remain unscathed. But still! I have so many scratching things for the cats to scratch. Why can’t they leave the couch alone? If anyone has any tips on keeping furniture safe from cats. I’m all ears. I’d rather refrain from using any tape or covering. But anyway, I love this couch, and this isn’t the final placement of it. We ended up turning it towards a different wall. More to come.

Well, that’s all for now. I don’t think many people still follow along on my blog. But that’s ok. I’ve always enjoyed updating my blog as a digital time capsule.

Thanks for reading.

I purchased another typewriter this week, and I couldn’t be happier. I now have two typewriters, and I didn’t think I would ever have one let alone two. I intend to keep this collection small, seeing as they do take up a lot of space. I am happy that I took the time to see what kind of typewriter I wanted. I am also glad that I had the experience with my first typewriter since it prepared me for this second one. Not that I am by any means an expert. I rely on the internet to help guide me on figuring out these interesting machines. 

I find typewriters to be so much fun to use. They have their personalities, and when you type on one, it transports you back. I often find myself thinking about its past owners, which I’m sure most people think of when buying any vintage item. I bought my first typewriter back in October of 2019, but Alicia from @Adventuredenali is why I started looking again at other typewriters online. She recently purchased a vintage typewriter, and even though I use my typewriter all the time, she ignited my desire to practice typing on it even more. I love watching her videos; they have been such a comfort these past few months while I’ve been home. Stationery, in general, has been a constant comfort. I’ve been journaling and writing letters, and it has been so good for me. I hope you have found something to calm you down and make you feel somewhat safe. I know the world has become something we do not recognize, but we will adapt and learn how to navigate it just the same. 

I hope this was interesting for you. I know I don’t update my blog as much anymore. I put most of my creative energy on filming and editing my videos, and as far as journaling goes, I tend to focus more on my physical journals. I have three at the moment. I am testing things out and seeing which one works for me. (journal sizes includes – A5, A6, and a standard Traveler’s Notebook) But I hope to start paying attention to my blog again. I’ve always enjoyed blogging. 

Thanks so much for reading and I’ll talk to you soon.

A lot has happened this past decade, and it’s a lot to go over. I can’t believe how much has changed, and I’m excited for 2020.

• 2010 – Moved to Houston!

I’m going to be honest, although I am so grateful to have gone to college, I would do things differently if I had the chance. I transferred from baby college to U of H and started what I thought would be the most fantastic time of my life. The first semesters were miserable for me, I didn’t have any friends, and I didn’t have enough credits to take the classes I wanted. Once I had enough credits, things got a bit better, but it still wasn’t the best years of my life.

• 2012 – Older Sister got Married

My older sister got married. She and my brother-in-law provided a home for me and made the transition easier. They made Houston home for me. I lived with them up until 2013.

• 2013 – 1st Apartment + 1st Job

My little sister moved to Houston this year, and she and I moved into our first apartment together. I never had to live on campus, and Kat was the only other person I could see myself living with, as far as roommates go. She understands me, and even though we fought at times, the fact that we were sisters made our relationship stronger. This year was also the first time I got a job. I did my best to get a part-time job to help pay rent. I landed a job at a deli on campus. It made it easy to work as much as possible, plus go to class. At one time, I juggled three jobs plus classes. It was tough. I was tired a lot of the time, but I did my best.

• 2014 – Better Jobs + 1st Car

I left my on-campus job and got part-time jobs at Paper Source and a museum. 2014 was also the year I got my older sister’s old car, and it was the best car, a 2008 Chevy Cobalt with its little bubble butt. It wasn’t too small or too big, and I was just comfortable driving it. I no longer have it now, but I honestly do not miss driving. Matt usually takes me to the places I want to go to, and if not, I take the metro. But sometimes I miss the days of bubble butt car. I lost a close friend in 2014; we were childhood friends and reconnected after high school. He and his wife were my closest friends, and I will cherish our game nights always. I’m lucky to have his wife as a friend still.

• 2016 – The Year I Finally Said…Now is the Time!

The night before this year started, I decided to get things done. I got out of my toxic relationship and got more serious about school. I was going to graduate finally. The fact that it took me so long to graduate made me feel less than. I didn’t struggle too much in school growing up, but college was hard for me, and as I mentioned earlier, I didn’t always enjoy it. While others spent their college years having fun and making friends, I didn’t have time to do those things by this time. I had to work to help pay what little I had to offer. But I did graduate, and I found a full-time job. I was the most confident I had ever been. My niece was also born this year, and I met the love of my life and felt my life starting.

• 2018 – Moved in with Matt and got Engaged

I began 2018 by moving in with Matt. I wasn’t scared, and it felt so right and perfect. We didn’t have too many things compared to how many things we have accumulated now. And then he proposed, I was ready and excited. Our nothing of a wedding quickly turned into something. I never thought about planning out my wedding. I was sure that my fiance and I would pick a day and say I do at City Hall. And that ended up being partly true.

• 2019 – Got Married

Matt and I did not want a long engagement. For most of 2019, I felt the pressure of guests lists and not fitting into my wedding dress. It wasn’t as stressful as it could have been, but by the end of it, I was happy it was over and glad to finally be married to the man of my dreams. Knowing that it would be a celebration for us, for two people who hate the spotlight, made me nervous but also excited. It couldn’t have been more perfect. Sadly, we also lost Marco, our cord chewing monster cat. I cry for him still and miss him so much; however, we have Eve and Auggie for comfort. Plus, I am glad to have documented our time with him.

That leads us to tonight and 2020. Time seems so slow, and then you take a second to look back on it and think, wait, where did it go? How did it move so fast? I’m trying not to dwell on the past, and I want to enjoy the present and look forward to the future instead of fearing it.

Here’s to 2020. A new adventure awaits.

Happy New Year!