Monthly Rewind: July

I've always loved reading "Monthly Rewind" posts. It gives me a chance to catch up with my favorite bloggers--the books they read, the novels that stood out to them, and, most importantly, their lives. As many of you have noticed, I haven't posted nearly as much this year. In the midst of college, internships, travelling, and just LIFE, reading has never been forgotten but this blog...maybe? Either way, I want to shift the focus of this blog to include not only the books I read--honest, true reflections of novels that moved me or completely missed the mark--but also general discussion posts about my thoughts and, most importantly, the life I lead outside of the blogosphere.

I've always been a strictly "professional" blogger, or someone who has refrained from sharing much about themselves or their life on the blog. Partly because I was young when I started this blog--very young--and didn't know what to expect from the world wide web. And partly, too, because I didn't know how. But, as this long paragraph comes to a close, know that I want to. I hope that with these "Monthly Rewind" posts that I will begin, inspired by Jamie from The Perpetual Page Turner, I can become more than a reviewer; I can become a person. And, perhaps, we can become more than blogger and reader; we can become friends.

3 Things About My Life This Month 

1. I returned from South Carolina! For those of you who don't know, I spent nine weeks of this summer in South Carolina, pursuing biomathematics research. I began college intending to become a Biology Major, which swiftly switched to a Math Major by the end of first semester. When applying to internships, however, a biomathematics program seemed the perfect fit due to my immense background in biology, established quite thoroughly in high school. This past summer, though, completely solidified my love for Mathematics. South Carolina was warm and beautiful (and I'm officially in LOVE with Sweet Tea!) but the highlights definitely include getting close to the seven other girls in the internship with me and
truly pushing the boundaries of my limited mathematics knowledge. If any of you are interested in the Biology or Mathematics field or just want to talk about finding your major in college or obtaining an internship, feel free to shoot me an e-mail! :)
2. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents. My grandparents are visiting from India this summer and, as you can imagine, I don't get a chance to see them as often as I'd like because they live so far away. I usually try to see them once a year--either they come here or we go there--but that hasn't been the easiest task with flight expenses and my busy schedule while applying for college. They flew in while I was in South Carolina and I've been really enjoying spending time with them and learning a few simple Indian dishes from my grandmother.
3. I made plans to study abroad. With junior year swiftly approaching, and application deadlines for study abroad programs only a few months away, I've been thinking a LOT this month about studying abroad. Where I want to go, what I want to do, how costly it will be, and all the forms I'll need to fill out to do it. Needless to say, I am committed to studying abroad and will be applying this fall. If I get into the programs of my dreams, you all will be the first to know! *fingers crossed*

Top 3 Books I Read This Month

1. These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly - Releasing in October, Donnelly's latest YA historical fiction novel is spectacular. It received a full five stars from me and you can read my review up on GoodReads, though it will be up on the blog closer to the release date.
2. Burn by Paula Weston - Yet another book whose review will be up on the blog soon, I've looooved Weston's Rephaim series and Burn, the concluding novel to the quartet, did not disappoint.
3. A Wish Upon Jasmine by Laura Florand - Just about everyone knows my love affair with Florand's novels. Her prose is decadent and her romances, set in France, are infused with depth and just so, so good. You can read my review of this one on the blog, already.

3 Most Popular Posts This Month 

1. Discussion: On YA's Tropeyness - In which I discuss common tropes which have plagued the YA genre for a few years (at least) and reflect on what I want from this genre in the future (including female role models, female friendships, diversity, etc.).
2. 2015 Favorites (So Far)! - I haven't had the greatest luck with books this past year--hence the reason this is one of my shortest favorites lists to date--but I'm hoping to change that with the latter half of the year ahead. Any good recommendations that I missed out on this year?
3. Review: Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare - One of my all-time favorite Tessa Dare historical romances (if not THE favorite of mine), I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and cannot recommend Dare enough, particularly for romances that feature headstrong, feminist females, supportive male counterparts who aren't assholes and a slow-burn, equal-footed romance.

Post I Wish Got a Little More Love

My review of Renee Ahdieh's The Wrath and the Dawn because it's one of my favorite books of the year and I want more readers to fall in love with it the way I did.

5 Posts I Starred in my Blog Reader This Month 

1. Beyond the Pages: Friend Breakups - I read this post and re-read it and then read it again. If there's anything that defines your entire first year of college, including the summer before your second year, it's friend breakups. Not just the friends you want to break up with from high school, but the friends you didn't want to breakup with between first and second semester of college and somehow...did.
2. On Becoming a Re-Reader - I've always, always, been a re-reader and reading this post put a smile on my face because re-reading...yes.
3. Perfect Opening Lines - Angie is--easily--the blogger I look up and aspire to become because her prose! But also, I just love her posts and this is a prime example of a beautiful, bookish article.
4. Why the Most Important Part of College for Women May Happen Outside the Classroom - I attend a women's college and, as such, I am fascinated by (a) women who attend co-ed universities and their experiences and (b) women's education. I enjoyed this post primarily because of how much it made me think about my own future as a woman and other women I knew who faced this same dilemma of reality when they stepped outside the classroom.
5. The Blog Most Likely To... - I was invited to join this "meme", of sorts, and couldn't come up with anything quickly enough but I really loved Lauren's post because it's so her and got me thinking about my own writing/reviewing/editing process (um, nonexistent, oops!) and, essentially, this post made me admire her more than I already do. Which is a lot. :)

Obsession of the Month

Mad Men! I've been binge-watching AMC's Mad Men like nobody's business and I am hooked! I love this show for its feminist themes and, most of all, Jon Hamm (swoooon!). But, mostly, I adore this show because of how much it forces me to think and reflect on happiness, the pursuit of happiness, and how difficult it is to truly attain it. It sounds morose, but this show is absolutely kick-ass and if you're looking for a new TV series to binge-watch, complete with superb film-making, scripts, and dialogue, look no farther than Mad Men.

Something I'm Looking Forward to Next Month 

Returning to Wellesley! I'm heading back to Wellesley on August 15th, two weeks before classes start so I can be trained as a Student Leader and help out during Orientation. My best friend is already on campus since she's been working at the Admissions Office all summer so I cannot wait to reunite with her and enjoy the campus before the Class of 2019 joins us and, most of all, before the rest of the students return. Orientation is terrifying as a first-year but as a sophomore, actually knowing the campus and having my friends with me, I can't wait!

What about you? What you have been up to this month? What are your most recent obsessions? Any TV recommendations for me since Mad Men is drawing to a close? What are you most excited for next month?