loving >> week 151

Hello!

I’m loving…

{via Orange Marmalade Books}

1 ♥ Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom I’ve been on a nonfiction kick this month, devouring true-to-life books that discuss a wide range of topics. I might as well be an expert in Jane Austen book covers {that would be the oh-so fun Jane Austen Cover to Cover}, Amy Poehler’s comedic background {I learned everything in her memoir, Yes Please}, or the creative writing process {Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink is quite informative}! To satisfy another one of my interests, the Civil Rights Movement, I grabbed Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom, a graphic-novel-memoir-hybrid of sorts written by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, a participant in the voting rights march. Well-received when it first came out earlier this year, Lowery’s book is a simple, but ultimately engaging, read, bringing a complex historical event alive with anecdotes and illustrations. Its short length doesn’t warrant a full review, but I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the time period.

2 ♥ Home Adam Rex’s books are practically made for animated productions; his characters are humorously exaggerated, his story lines are so weird they work, and I can never say enough about his hilarious way with dialogue. Dreamworks has finally taken note, transforming Rex’s popular novel, The True Meaning of Smekday, into their newest theatrical release, Home. With Rhianna, Steve Martin, and Jim Parsons starring, I have high expectations for this adaptation, but more importantly, I’m looking forward to revisiting one of my childhood favorites! I hope to catch it Easter weekend, but in the meantime, we can discuss: have you read any of Rex’s work? And are you planning to see Home this spring?

{source unknown}

3 ♥ Blog Awards March hasn’t been my best month for blogging, so huge apologies must be given to the lovely individuals that nominated me and Ciao Bella for awards over the past few weeks! I rarely do these tags, but I like to give shout-out to bloggers whenever possible :) Klaudia at The Observant Girl Book Reviews is the absolute sweetest, as is Mary from Books in Her Head; the two are other contributors over at Lit Up Review, and I am delighted that we have been connected through the site. Much love is also given to Emily from For the Bookish and Ana from Butterflies of the Imagination, who both nominated me for the Share the Love Challenge. I adore reading their posts, and I love hearing from them! I’ll be cleaning up my blogging calendar for spring, but you can go look through the sites of these lovely ladies.

{via Inside Stitch}

4 ♥ Vera Bradley’s Summer 2015 Patterns If my backpack, handbag, and headbands are any indication, I’m a hugeVera Bradley fan, but even I will admit that their seasonal releases can be a hit or a miss. Fortunately, their summer patterns have won me over, and I can’t stop eyeing products in each color! The blue and orange hues of Marrakesh scream summer to me, and I love how it looks on a large tote or backpack. Pixie Blooms also sports warm shades; the combination of pinks and oranges has long been a favorite color choice of mine. I particularly like Pixie Blooms in wallet or hipster cross body form. Do you like any of the new patterns?

{via A Cup of Jo}

5 ♥ Spring! Finally, we welcomed the first day of spring last week, and with each day, the temperatures start to rise. Perhaps it’s my optimism speaking, but I’ll be pulling out capris, short sleeve tees, and sandals before I know it! The image above made me laugh, because it’s never been more true than with endless winter.

Have a terrific Friday!

Bella