Instead of participating in the Monthly Rewind meme, every three months I’ll update the world on my life from the previous season. Enjoy the Seasonal Rewind!

Through the Lens

One of my friends had a very lovely, private wedding (or engagement party? She’s having a big to-do this time next year, so it was quasi-engagement party, quasi-wedding because she and her husband signed papers), and the cupcakes were too pretty and delicious not to take a picture! Rossetti has been joining me for a lot of my reading this spring, and I love her company. Finally, The Alice Network was my first 5-star read of the year and I was absolutely blown away by the writing, the story, the characters, the plot…

Life Highlights

The biggest news is that I was recently promoted to Associate Literary Agent!

I talked a little bit about Book Expo in an If We Were Having Coffee post, but I also recently went to ALA! The morning was spent attending as many panels as possible for the library, and the afternoon was spent wandering the exhibit floor and documenting Jared Reck’s first public appearance and galley signing. Big day for this agent/librarian.

Finally, the Beau and I went on a mini trip to see his friends for a pub crawl. Two couples in the friend group are moving out of state within a few weeks of each other, so we all got together and went on a massive bar crawl. It started off with 7 people, and somewhere in the night we had 25+ total. So much fun — and a mandatory brunch the next day was just what the doctor ordered. It’s so hard when you/your friends move away. They’re going to neat places in the country, so hopefully this means more travel opportunities.

Tunes on Repeat

Maybe I should eliminate this bit of the feature, because it’s just not happening for me. I’m not into what’s on the radio (and I’m already missing out on John Mayer’s latest, Ed Sheeran, and the 1D solo boys’ music), I’m listening to audio books for the library in the car, and (to be completely honest) what I have listened to is mostly choral music that most of you aren’t all that interested in. Unless you want to hear something? Let me know. Feast your ears on this, in the meantime.

Bookmarked in the Community

1. Climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro @ Belle of the Literati — For Kelly’s 30th birthday, this adventurer went on her own and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro! Her experience was incredible. Read about it here!
2. The Intimidating TBR Tag @ The Bookish Beagle — Morgan’s TBR post was both intense and awesome. I fully plan to do this tag at some point (…just like I fully plan to read all those books on the TBR pile at some point…*ducks*)
3. On My Nightstand @ What Sarah Read — In a similar vein, Sarah started a new feature called On My Nightstand to showcase some books she’s interested in reading immediately.
4. When the Movie is Better Than the Book @ Writer of Wrongs — Gillian went there. She went there and admitted what we all know to be true: sometimes, the movie is better than the book. *gasp*
5. Library Dreamin’ @ Alexa Loves Books — What does your dream library look like? I gotta say, my dream library looks a lot like Alexa’s IRL library…

Popular Posts on Scribbles

1. Book Review: Hunted by Meagan Spooner (ARC) — I LOVE this book, and it makes me ridiculously happy to see this was such a popular post!
2. Book Review: When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon (ARC) — IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK YOU MUST REMEDY THAT NOW.
3. If We Were Having Coffee… — This post is always so popular. For random updates, feel free to read my unedited, walls down, conversational post. In this one, I talk about Band of Brothers, Book Expo, Forge of Empires, and my never-ending war with chips and queso.

Cherished Reads

Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee ★★★★★

The Alice Network by Kate Quinn ★★★★★

The Secret Life of Violet Grant by Beatriz Williams ★★★★.5

What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum ★★★★.5 (review to come!)

Cherished Quotes

“Why don’t you sit with the others?” I ask her.
“I find the company of a book much more interesting.”
— Outrun the Moon by Stacey Lee

Emma suffered daily for friends and neighbors. [The Allies] were doing it for strangers, throwing themselves on that beach, slaughtered tillt he sea ran dark, and another wave came, and was slaughtered, and another, whole cities of men. They have never met Emma, she would never meet them, and still another wave.
It was so humbling, Emma clung to the tree and did not think she could continue to breathe. The weight of their sacrifice might crush her. Here they had died, and up the beach they were still dying, in flocks and willingly for the idea that she, Emma herself, and her friends and family and neighbors, ought to live in freedom. Who on earth deserved such a gift?
— The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan

My hands are flapping again. Tears are running down my face. I am losing control.
Slipping into a vertiginous vortex. I used to think loneliness was being stuck
with only the one voice in your head. I was wrong.*

Here’s the thing about making a friend that I didn’t understand before I started talking to Kit: They grow your world. Allow for previously inconceivable possibilities.*
— *the following quotes taken from uncorrected proof of What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum

Progress Update on Reading Challenges

Required Library Books: 10 / 22

The Light Between Oceans || The Husband’s Secret || W is for Wasted
The Miniaturist || The Astronaut Wives Club || The Burning Room
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet || The President’s Shadow
Orphan Train || Still Life

Fun Library Books: 8 / 5 // Complete!

Heart’s Blood || The Bear and the Nightingale || The Silver Gate
Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies || A Window Opens
Alex, Approximately || The Baker’s Secret || Troubled Waters

Flights of Fantasy / Marillier & Gabaldon Challenge: 2 / 9

Heart’s Blood || Son of the Shadows

Classics & ReRead: 0 / 2

Rock My TBR: 10 / 12

Caraval || You and Me, Always || The Miniaturist
Son of the Shadows || The Sun is Also a Star || Outrun the Moon
The Secret Life of Violet Grant || This Adventure Ends || The Alice Network 
Like a River Glorious

Impulse Buys: 5 / 5

You and Me, Always || Flight of Dreams || Wait for Me
The Hate U Give || The Map That Leads to You

Overall Challenge: 32 / 50

Random Obsessions

On TV: Grantchester is back!

I CANNOT GET ENOUGH OF SIDNEY CHAMBERS. He’s making poor life choices so far this season (go AWAY, AMANDA.), but I love him all just the same.

On Film: I mentioned watching Band of Brothers for the first time in my If We Were Having Coffee post, and weeks later I’m still blown away by the show. So let’s add Wonder Woman to the mix! OH MY GOD. When we left the theater, I said to The Beau, “This must be what it feels like to be a white man!” I FELT POWERFUL AND UNSTOPPABLE. More female superheroes, please!!!

In the Shopping Bag: Shopping? What is shopping? All my money went to travel, conferences, and hotel fees. Wah wah.

Miscellaneous: I mentioned it before and I’ll say it again: Forge of Empires. I’m seriously obsessed with this app. People have described it like Sim City, and I can’t tell you if it is or not but I’m enjoying every second of it. Have you played it?

Looking Towards the Future

Lots of traveling coming up this summer! In July I’m heading to Nashville for a writers conference. Hope to hear some great pitches while I’m there. In August I’m traveling with The Beau to Iowa to visit family and some of his high school friends. And then in September, Jared’s book publishes! HURRAY! Oh, and it’s wedding season for like…a bazillion people, and I’m really looking forward to dancing many nights away!

What have you been up to this season / this month? Any new obsessions or good reads or great music? Share some of your favorites here, and let me know if I should check out any great blog posts!