Romance Reading Month – Recap

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In February, I wrote my Romance Reading Month post, where I mentioned which romance books I had on my list to read. I had five books on my list and ended up reading three of them, with a fourth being read at a slower pace. Let’s take a look at the romance books I read last month.

Eleanor & Park – Not Finished.

I have been going through my bookshelf and picking books I want to re-read. Eleanor & Park is a romance story starring Eleanor & Park, who meet at school and develop a romance. Eleanor & Park has come under some controversy with how Rainbow Rowell wrote Park. My prediction is similar to how I felt about Fangirl, that this book won’t hold up to what I felt when I first read the book years ago. I’m slowly reading a chapter here and there. I plan on finishing Eleanor & Park before the end of 2022.

The Ex Hex – Didn’t Read

I saved The Ex Hex for Fall as I think it’s a perfect book to get into the Halloween spirit.

Well Met – Finished

Well Met is a romance starring Emily and Simon. Emily temporarily moves to a small town in Maryland to take care of her older sister, who was involved in a car accident. Emily gets roped in by her niece to volunteer at a Renaissance Festival, where she meets Simon, a pirate who helps organize the festival. Simon has a hardened persona, but eventually Emily breaks through this, leading to the beginning of their romance.

I adored this book. Emily and Simon had great chemistry together. I liked the Renaissance Festival as the background of their relationship. I kept imagining the lush forest surrounding the festival and all the performers sashaying throughout the grounds. Besides the festival, I liked the setting. There’s a small town bookstore Emily works at that’s owned by one of the founders of the festival. This book was everything I wanted, and I rated Well Met five stars on Goodreads.

One to Watch – Finished

Bea Schumacher is a successful plus-size fashion blogger who is also a fan of the reality show, Main Squeeze. As the next season is being determined, Bea is approached by Lauren, the producer of Main Squeeze, to be the star of the next season. Bea decides to accept. While Bea is confident in her blog and fashion sense, she has concerns about whether men will want to date a plus-size woman. Will she find love? Or leave alone?

I went into this book wanting a confident and sassy plus-size woman to have fun on this reality TV show. Unfortunately, it seemed Bea’s entire character arc was her saying no man would date her for her size. I understand Bea having some insecurities over her body, but it seemed to be the background of the entire book. I struggled to understand why Bea would agree to a reality TV show, given where her headspace was at.

This was a big let-down for me. I rated One to Watch two stars on Goodreads.

Get a Life Chloe Brown – Finished

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill geek who comes up with a bucket list of things she wants to accomplish. Chloe meets Red, who decides to help her with her list. A romance develops with Chloe realizing her feelings for Red go beyond the list she originally created.

I liked the idea of Chloe being this geeky woman living her life through her chronic pain. Red seemed like such an opposite to Chloe, so I thought they would connect well. Although I did like this book, I struggled to fully immerse myself in it. I found myself stuck on the first half of the book for a long time. I think this book is so important because of the representation of a character with chronic pain. I rated Get a Life, Chloe Brown three stars on Goodreads.

The books I read in February were a mixed bag. In March, I’m taking a break from romance and tackling more of my mystery and thrillers on my TBR.

Controllers & Coffee BizarreBrunette Gaming Update #4

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It’s March! This means spring is right around the corner. I tend to do most of my gaming in winter as there’s not a whole lot going on otherwise. I’m looking forward to writing these gaming updates to keep me on track for gaming throughout spring. I wanted to spring into my latest gaming update.

Consoles

I’m currently playing through Far Cry 5 on my PS4. Far Cry 5 takes place in Montana and focuses on the main character taking on a cult. This cult is impulsive, and I have no shame in overtaking an outpost to help the resistance. Far Cry 5 makes me want to visit Montana, as the world is so pretty.

In my last update, I mentioned playing Animal Crossing. I’m in another lull; I don’t think I played at all throughout February. I have so much to do with my island, so I do want to get back into playing regularly.

PC

I had some issues with loading Steam. Thanks to a quick Google search, I was able to fix the issue I was having. I started playing Coffee Talk. Coffee Talk is a visual novel about a coffee shop owner who sees a variety of supernatural customers coming to order coffee. This feels like D&D took place in a coffee shop; that’s what Coffee Talk reminds me of. I’m liking it so far! During the week, I tend to play more cozy games, so Coffee Talk and Animal Crossing are a perfect fit to play after work.

I still have Nancy Drew: Warnings at Waverly Academy to complete. I haven’t had any desire to play the Nancy Drew PC games. If I’m feeling it, I might return to the game this month.

Board Games

For my mom’s birthday, we played a few games at my apartment. My brother and I taught my mom Exploding Kittens, and she loved it! She wanted my brother to buy a copy of the game. My mom has been getting into board games more, which is fun to see. She likes simple games, nothing too complicated. Exploding Kittens is a great game for those who like simplicity, and a game that doesn’t take long to play.

Roleplaying

Curse of Strahd is still ongoing and fun. In one of our latest sessions, our barbarian got bit by a vampire, and fortunately, I rolled high on a blood hunter check, so we were able to prevent him from being turned. Our group still has no process if we get bitten by vampires, so that’s something we have to figure out, or we won’t last through this campaign. I’m playing at Badwolf Adventure Studios, and once Curse of Strahd is complete, I plan on hopping into another campaign, as I think Badwolf does a great job at professional DMing.

Tomorrow I’m playing in Adventurer’s League with Zehiri, my Tiefling Paladin. She’s the character I reserve for Adventurer’s League sessions. I haven’t played Adventurer’s League since December, so I’m excited to play.

Miscellaneous

For gaming news, the new Pokémon starters have been released. I’m partial to Sprigatito because it’s a grass cat! As a cat person, I’m happy. However, Fuecoco is growing on me. It’s a cute fire gator. While I think Quaxly is adorable, Sprigatito and Fuecoco have grown on me. Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are set to release late this year on the Switch.

My goal for March is to get farther into Far Cry 5, complete Coffee Talk, and level up Zehiri in Adventurer’s League. Let me know in the comments what you’re playing through.

Getting Older – Never Growing Up

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Image is a photo of me holding a sonic screwdriver and flashing it to the camera. I'm in my wedding dress and I'm looking straight on into the camera.
Our grand entrance song was the Doctor Who theme song. Our photographer got this photo of me before we walked out. Yes, I did wave the Sonic Screwdriver around during the grand entrance.

I saw a tweet on Twitter the other day that I identified with. The tweet said they were sick of adults saying to grow up and give up hobbies that are deemed as juvenile, such as video games, comics, collecting toys, or cosplay. The second half of the tweet mentioned how it’s ironic because it’s usually in our 20s and 30s that we can afford to invest in our hobbies. This is so true! I have a rad comic collection because I can afford to keep a pull list at my comic book store. I wanted to talk about how, as I’m getting older, I have no plans to grow up.

When I was in middle school, my friend and I were still playing with My Little Ponies. We were made fun of, although my friend was targeted more for other reasons. I think of how silly this is now because there are Bronies, or male fans of the My Little Pony TV show. While My Little Ponies always remind me of my childhood, I’m still a toy collector. I have a few Funkos, including my Percy Funko from Critical Role Vox Machina, and superhero figures on my DC comics shelf.

One of the more expensive hobbies I have is cosplay. Cosplay can be extremely expensive, with the accessories, and if there are any weapons associated with that cosplay. I’m finding that, in my late 20s, I finally have the money to start investing in more well-built cosplays. Besides cosplay, I can now afford to travel to conventions out of state. This has been a fun experience being an adult because I can explore a new city and attend a convention. It’s the best of both worlds. While I wish I could travel on a monthly basis, I need hobbies that help me find joy in my daily life.

Fortunately, I have had many adult role models exemplify this message. My mom has Twilight posters all throughout her house. My mom read the Twilight books while I was in college and absolutely loved them. My uncle is still a big gamer; he has a Star Wars X-Wing collection and plays the game regularly. One of my best friends, her mom, still goes to the Renaissance Festival, and I occasionally see her at CONvergence when I go. I have never been made to feel ashamed by anyone close to me about being who I am and having my hobbies.

This post is a reminder to have no shame about the hobbies carried into adulthood. Life is precious, so find hobbies that make you happy, not to please anyone else.

D&D, Peacemaker, and Superheroes – Comic Reviews!

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I’m usually on top of posting my book reviews on a timely basis. However, I sometimes forget to write about the comics I’m reading. Since starting a pull list last year, I have been reading more single issues than ever before. I wanted to share what comics I have been reading and what I have been enjoying so far.

The Last Session Issues #1 & #2 – Mad Cave

Jasmine Walls, Dozerdraws, Michah Meyers, Michael Moccio, and David Reyes.

Image is a photo of a single issue comic called The Last Session. In between the letters, The and Last is a twenty sided dice. On the cover are portions of a character sheet including name and stats with the character's art front and center. It appears to be a dragonborn creature and they are holding a ukelele.

The Last Session follows five friends who met at an LGBTQIA+ high school club. During their club meetings, they launched a long-term D&D campaign. The friends are now in college and have decided to resume their campaign.

I love everything about this series! I like how the friends are still good friends after all this time and how D&D has become a big part of their friendship. I like how the issue flashes between the campaign and their real life. I think this comic series does a great job at highlighting the insecurity they face as they are unsure of the direction of their lives. As someone who graduated from college five years ago, I can relate to a few of the characters in this comic. I rated The Last Session five stars on Goodreads.

Vampire Emmy and the Garbage Girl – Space Between

Pat Shand, Roberta Ingranata, Carola Borelli, and Jim Campbell

Image is a photo from a comic series Vampire Emmy and the Garbage Girl. It shows a woman wearing a red beanie and black tank top against the wall. In front of her, is a vampire, she has pink hair and a black hood put up on her head.

Vampire Emmy and the Garbage Girl follows Emmy, a cynical Vampire who’s finding herself a bit bored with life. Her relationships have never lasted, partly due to outliving her partner. Emmy meets Annabelle, the garbage girl who collects her trash twice a week. Emmy invites Annabelle on a date, and they start to bond over shared supernatural lived experiences.

This was a quick read! This graphic novel was shorter than I expected. There didn’t seem to be much of a plot to this, as it was more about following Emmy and Annabelle on their adventures. I wish this were longer, as I felt there wasn’t enough material to connect to both Emmy and Annabelle as characters. I rated Vampire Emmy and the Garbage Girl four stars on Goodreads.

The Death of Doctor Strange Blade #1 – Marvel

Danny Lore, Dylan Burnett, Mike Spicer, and Travis Lanham.

Image is a photo of a single issue comic for The Death of Doctor Strange Blade. It shows Blade back to back with another fighter with long white hair. There are four ghostly red figures that Blade is ready to fight.

The Death of Doctor Strange Blade is Marvel’s latest crossover, where Doctor Strange is murdered, leaving a cataclysm of events on Earth. This includes releasing vampires who were otherwise imprisoned. Blade, being the vampire hunter that he is, is displeased and serves as Dracula’s bodyguard.

It seems fitting that Marvel’s latest event is Doctor Strange-themed since the movie is being released this year. As someone who’s a fan of Blade as a character, I thought this was a blast. The art is vibrant, and the story moves along at a good clip. I’m curious to see how Blade will move through this crossover. I rated Blade #1 four stars on Goodreads.

Peacemaker Disturbing the Peace – DC Comics

Garth Ennis, Garry Brown, and Lee Loughridge

Image is a comic book cover for the comic Peace Maker Disturbing the Peace by Garth Ennis. It shows a man's lower legs with black combat boots. The black combat boots are stepping in blood. Through the blood, there's a mirror of the top half of Peacemaker's body.

Peacemaker Disturbing the Peace follows Peacemaker, aka. Christopher Smith as he’s being interviewed by a therapist. Christopher goes into his story about why he cares so much about peace and his military experience. It’s clear Christopher is being examined for some sort of assignment, but it’s not disclosed what that assignment is.

I liked this series; however, with the success of the Peacemaker show, I prefer how the show portrays Peacemaker versus this series. With Garth Ennis attached, this series was gory, which I think fits the character. There isn’t a whole lot going on in this issue, as it’s clearly meant to be an origin story for those unfamiliar with Peacemaker as a character. I rated Peacemaker Disturbing the Peace three stars on Goodreads.

Hawkeye Kate Bishop #1-3 – Marvel

Marieke Nijkamp, Enid Balam, Oren Junior, and Brittany Peer

Image is the cover of a comic issue titled Hawkeye Kate Bishop. It shows a woman with black hair and bangs. She has a bandaid or a piece of tape on her cheek. She has purple sunglasses pushed up on her head.

Hawkeye Kate Bishop stars Kate, who’s living in LA, taking on bad guys. Kate is invited to a Hamptons resort by a mysterious guest. Kate realizes that her older sister, Susan, invited Kate to help her find a missing ring. While the resort is beautiful, it’s clear there is something more sinister going on.

This series is okay. I’m finding that each issue seems to follow the exact same setup. Kate goes into investigation mode, she brings Susan, Kate beats up a bunch of bad guys, and more bad guys arrive, leading to a cliffhanger into the next issue. I plan on finishing this story arc to see if this is a series I plan on continuing with. As of now, I’m not super invested in this. I rated Hawkeye Kate Bishop three stars on Goodreads.

If you thought this was a lot of comics, I still have a small pile on my nightstand. It helps that I carve out time every Saturday morning to read comics before I start my day. I want to prioritize writing more comic reviews, so there will be more to come! Let me know in the comments what comics you’re reading right now.

Curse of Strahd – Defeating Our First Vampire

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I’m currently in a Curse of Strahd campaign that meets every other Thursday. For those unfamiliar, Curse of Strahd is a Dungeons & Dragons adventure where players come to Barovia to confront Strahd, the ruler of Barovia. When I first started the campaign, I debated writing weekly posts about our sessions, but decided against it. Instead, I wanted to write an occasional post where something big happens in our campaign. In this post, I wanted to recap how our group killed our first vampire.

Our group finished defeating a few black tentacle creatures before reaching this church. As a side note, my character, Levenia, nearly got mauled to death, so I was not looking too well. Our group arrived at this church to lay to rest an NPC’s father. As we arrive, the priest is acting like a creep, and we hear screaming from the floorboards. Our group determines that there is someone underneath and through investigation checks, this screaming is from the priest’s son who was turned into a vampire.

Our group debated for a long time as to what we wanted to do. There were two options that we went back and forth on:

  1. Do nothing. Let the vampire trapped underground stay there and hope he doesn’t escape.
  2. Kill the vampire and put it out of its misery.

After a long conversation, it was decided to kill the vampire. One member of the party stayed above the floor, while the rest of us went downstairs to confront the vampire with our stakes. The vampire, instead of attacking us, attacked the member of our party who stayed upstairs. She was pulled underneath and bitten by the vampire, which was really bad. If our group didn’t do something, she would have become a vampire that we would have had to kill. Our clerics, fortunately, were able to remove her vampirism. It took five of us to hold on to the stake, and I used a cantrip called Eldritch Blast to magically shove the stake further into the vampire, which dealt the killing blow. Levenia got the killing blow on the vampire, which is easily one of the coolest moments I have ever had playing D&D.

This was easily one of my favorite role-playing sessions I have ever been a part of. The stakes were high (no pun intended), and my character got to do some badass stuff. I’m enjoying Curse of Strahd so far, and I hope that my character gets to live through the adventure, although it’s all up to the roll of the die.

Celebrating with Cheesecake – Mom’s Birthday

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Yesterday was my mom’s birthday. My mom is an extraordinary person in my life. She’s equally geeky like I am, and she is such a selfless person. While I have talked about my mom in previous posts, I wanted to write a more personal essay about who my mom is as a person, so you can understand why I love her and appreciate that she’s a big part of my life.

Image is a photo of two babies holding hands. These babies are my parents. This photo is black and white as it was taken in 1954.
My dad and my mom as babies holding hands in the same baby carriage! They knew each other as babies and ended up together. If that’s not true love then I don’t know what is.

My mom was born and raised in Minnesota, along with my dad. The above picture is literally my dad and my mom as babies holding hands in the same baby carriage. My aunt (dad’s older sister) taught my mom and her sister (aka my aunt) dance lessons when they were little. While my parents knew each other as babies, they didn’t reconnect until the 80s. My dad was working in radio in California when he found out his dad died of a heart attack (my grandpa, whom I never met). My dad moved back to Minnesota to be closer to family, and that’s how my mom and dad got together.

When I was born, my mom was the breadwinner in our family. She worked full-time while my dad worked part-time to take care of my brother and me. My mom worked a stressful job and took the bus to work, so my dad could have the car. Her commutes were long, but she did this so my brother and I could live in a stable home. I admire my mom for working a job she may not have loved, so my brother and I could have a fulfilling childhood.

For those who have never read any of my posts, my dad passed away from cancer when I was 12. All of a sudden, my mom had to work full-time and raise my brother and me. Now that I’m married to my husband, I think about the pain I would feel if I were to lose him tragically. My mom felt that plus be strong for us. I will forever be grateful to my mom for raising my brother and me in such traumatic circumstances.

On a light-hearted note, my mom is geeky like I am. She loves action movies, including James Bond, any Marvel movie, and thinks Baby Yoda is the cutest thing. There are various trinkets around her house, including a Baby Yoda stuffed figure, Daniel Craig posters, and a few Twilight posters in her room. She’s fully embraced wearing geek t-shirts, including her Gryffindor hoodie, which she purchased in Orlando during a family vacation. I hope that when I grow older, I will be like my mom, who will love what she loves no matter her age.

Image is a photo of my brother, my mom and me. Behind us is the Hogwarts Express train.

To celebrate my mom’s birthday, we went out to dinner at a nice restaurant. After dinner, we went back to my apartment, where we played a few board games. I introduced my mom to the card game Exploding Kittens. She has asked my brother to buy her a copy, so she can keep playing.

My mom is my rock. I’m so fortunate and grateful that my mom loves me for me. She’s someone whom I aspire to be in every aspect of my life. She’s someone who has had to overcome adversity and showed me how to be independent and to get through life’s challenges. I hope that if I ever have kids, I’m as selfless as my mom. Happy Birthday to my lovely, caring, and wonderful mom.

SQUARE ENIX Redeems Themselves in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

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SQUARE ENIX had a rough start with their superhero games. I reviewed Marvel’s Avengers at the end of 2020, and it was such a letdown. I was adamant that I didn’t want anything to do with SQUARE ENIX and superhero video games. Last year, SQUARE ENIX released Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and I was astonished to hear the game was getting rave reviews, with Google stating 95% liked the game. While I was apprehensive, I figured if other gamers liked the game, it can’t be that bad. It certainly couldn’t be worse than Marvel’s Avengers. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was an entertaining space saga that I would absolutely re-play.

The game opens with Star-Lord aka. Peter Quill is leading the Guardians to collect items to sell and gain credits. As the Guardians explore, Peter stumbles upon a yellow stone, and much to Peter’s immature personality, he uses the stone to accidentally release an alien into space. As the Guardians flee, they are captured by Nova Corp and forced to pay a fine for illegal contraband. Once the Guardians have the credits to pay their fine, they head back to Nova Corp, and clearly, something is wrong. Nova Corp seems corrupted, and they viciously attack the Guardians. Whatever Peter released is setting off a chain of events that could lead to the entire galaxy being mind-controlled. The Guardians of the Galaxy are ready to take on this all-encompassing alien being.

To start off, I like the look of the Guardians. Peter is sporting a buzz mohawk of sorts, which I think fits with his persona. Do I dare say that I prefer Star-Lord in the game to Chris Pratt’s film version? Star-Lord is the only playable character, yet since he’s the leader, I can use him to direct the other Guardians to attack. Another fun way this game uses the Guardians is through a huddle. A pink meter is filled as the Guardians unleash their attacks, and once the meter is filled, Star-Lord can call for a huddle. As the Guardians express their thoughts, Star-Lord can give an enticing speech. If done correctly, the Guardians are given temporary health protection. Additionally, 80s music is played once a huddle is completed. Nothing creates more energy during a tough combat sequence than 80s music playing throughout. This was a great way to incorporate the energy of the Guardians in their own video game.

Another intriguing aspect of the game was the choices. For example, in one chapter, the Guardians come up with a plan to scam Lady Hellbender by pretending to sell one of their own. The player can choose whether to pretend to sell Groot or Rocket. I chose Rocket. Since I made this choice, the plan ended up failing, and I ended up having to fight my way out. However, if I had chosen Groot, the plan would have worked; it would have eliminated the need for combat. While most of the choices are harmless, they can allow for galactic assistance throughout the chapters. I thought it was a neat idea to include something like this in a superhero game.

Throughout the chapters, there are various collectibles, gear, and character outfits to collect. As a completionist, I plan on going through the game again and collecting everything I missed. My personal favorite is the outfits because, as they are unlocked, it’s shown which comics displayed that particular character’s outfit. As someone who hasn’t read many Guardians of the Galaxy comics, I liked learning more about each outfit and the outfit that it corresponds with.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a surprisingly well-made game. I was not expecting SQUARE ENIX to do a great job, as their track record isn’t great. I’m happy to say that this game is worth playing. I’d rate Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy 9/10.

Peacemaker (2022)

Posted in Bizarre Brunette Big-Screen Watches by
Image is a promotional image for the show Peacemaker. It shows Peacemaker in the front with his hands on his hips. His eagle is to his left on the ground. There are several characters in the background. Behind them appears to be a bloodied american flag.

I mentioned in my previous post that my husband is enjoying the Peacemaker spin-off show on HBO Max. For those unfamiliar, Peacemaker was first featured in last year’s DC romp, The Suicide Squad. Directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad introduced Peacemaker (played by John Cena), a character obsessed with maintaining global peace, who would kill anyone to achieve this. Shortly after The Suicide Squad was released, it was announced that Peacemaker would be getting his own series. When I originally heard this, I wasn’t interested. Peacemaker wasn’t the member of The Suicide Squad that stood out to me the most. My husband badgered me to watch the series with him and give it a chance. I’m glad he did because Peacemaker is such a fun, dark, and witty show.

The show begins with Peacemaker (real name: Christopher Smith) waking up in the hospital after the battle in The Suicide Squad. He makes his way back to his father’s house to pick up his pet bald eagle, Eagly. As Peacemaker tries to resume his normal life, he’s confronted by A.R.G.U.S agents who need his help with “Project Butterfly”. As more information is disclosed to Peacemaker throughout his mission, he realizes this is serious and could lead to an alien invasion if “Project Butterfly” isn’t stopped.

John Cena delivers his lines in a way that’s impossible not to laugh. Joining Peacemaker is his ally, Vigilante (played by Freddie Stroma). Vigilante is another comic relief; however, his lines are delivered in a dark way as Vigilante kills everyone and shows no remorse for his actions. If you’re not a fan of dark humor, this show is not for you.

The A.R.G.U.S agents create this cohesive team as everyone has a role to fill. There’s Emilia Harcourt (played by Jennifer Holland) who’s the combat-heavy character. She’s a hard shell to crack; however, as the episodes have continued, it’s clear Peacemaker is starting to grow on her. Besides Emilia, there’s Leota Adebayo (played by Danielle Brooks), who offers humility to the team. She isn’t trained to kill and often struggles with making the tough choice. It’s a nice balance between her and Emilia. Technical support is provided by John Economos (played by Steve Agee), who has a big moment in the series with a chainsaw, which I won’t spoil. The team is well-balanced, and it’s been so fun to see them start to connect with each other.

I never thought I would say this, but Peacemaker has been an absolute blast. I went into watching this show thinking this was not going to be something I would like, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. I hope Peacemaker gets a second season, as I’d like to see more Suicide Squad members make an appearance.

Avocado Breakfast Sandwich & Coffee – Valentine’s Day 2022

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This is a photo of a Valentine's Day card. On it it says, "You're the cutest wife" and there are two llamas on it. There are two scented candles in front of the card.

Happy Valentine’s Day! While Valentine’s Day means a lot to some, I personally don’t care much for the day itself. I think there’s a lot of stigma still with those who don’t have a romantic partner, and I think that sucks. Happiness doesn’t equate to being in love or with someone romantically. Galentine’s Day is helping to normalize being single, but the stigma still exists. My husband and I don’t create huge Valentine’s Day plans; as a result, however, we still had a date day to ourselves.

My and my husband and I celebrated Valentine’s Day a day early because we didn’t feel like going out today. We made reservations at Hope Breakfast Bar in St. Paul. Hope Breakfast Bar is a brunch spot that took over an old fire station. I prefer a savory breakfast as opposed to a sweet one, so I ordered a spicy bagel and avocado breakfast sandwich while my husband ordered Pina Colada French toast. Here’s the weird thing: my husband’s French toast had cotton candy on the side. Cotton Candy?? Why would you have Cotton Candy underneath French toast? My husband swears the menu didn’t list this; otherwise, he would have asked to leave it off. We joked about how funny it would be to order and say, “Can you please not put cotton candy on mine, thanks”. I would definitely come back to Hope Breakfast Bar, especially because of all the breakfast options I’d like to try.

After breakfast, we drove to Nina’s Coffee Cafe. Nina’s is also located in St. Paul near the Cathedral. As a side note, St. Paul is a city with beautiful architecture and restored homes. Nina’s is in this beautiful red historic building. I ordered their special called the Love Potion, which was a latte with Oat Milk topped with a dusting of sugar and cardamon. My husband ordered his usual iced mocha with dark chocolate. We took our coffee and drove home, so we could have a lazy afternoon before the Super Bowl.

My husband and I like to exchange small gifts for Valentine’s Day. I bought my husband a Peacemaker Pop Funko since he loves the show on HBO Max. I received three mini candles with assorted scents, along with a pack of Oreos.

While I’m not big on Valentine’s Day, this was such a chill way to celebrate the day. I’m all for drinking coffee and eating breakfast food.

February – Romance Reading Month

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Every February, I read romance. It gets me in the mood for Valentine’s Day, and it allows me to target the romance books sitting on my TBR. I wanted to share all the books I want to read in February, and once February ends, I will write a recap post where I review the romance books I read. I have set high expectations this month, so I’m not sure if I will get to everything. Here are all the romance books I ideally would like to read this month

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

I read Eleanor & Park back in 2015. This had been sitting on my re-read TBR for a while. Eleanor & Park, written by Rainbow Rowell, is about a budding high school romance between Eleanor and Park. I re-read Fangirl last year, and I realized I didn’t love the book as much as I thought I did. I’m curious if Eleanor & Park will hold up or if I will feel the same way I felt for Fangirl.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

I had The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling on my Spooky TBR last year, although I ended up not getting to it. I’m debating between reading this now or saving it for October. The Ex Hex is centered around Vivienne Jones, who puts a curse on her ex-boyfriend that should have been mild. However, her ex returns to their town, and all hell breaks loose. As mentioned, I may save this for fall, but I have no doubt that I will read The Ex Hex this year.

Well Met by Jen DeLuca

A romance that takes place at a local Renaissance festival? Sign me up. Well Met follows Emily and Simon. Emily is roped into signing up for the Renaissance festival while Simon’s family runs the festival. I have had this on my TBR for a long time, so I’m glad I’m finally going to read this.

One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London

If the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise were to include plus-size women, that’s the premise of One to Watch. Bea Schumacher is a plus-size fashion influencer who loves the reality TV show Main Squeeze. When she’s contacted by Main Squeeze to be a part of their show, Bea agrees. She doesn’t think she will actually find love unless she does. While I’m personally not a fan of The Bachelor, I think this book will still appeal to me.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

I hear so many good things about Talia Hibbert and her books. Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek who creates a list of things she wants to do. Chloe meets Red, and she enlists him to help her accomplish all the things she wants to do. I like the chronically ill representation, as there are so many people out there with either chronic pain or chronic illness. Representation is so important.

This is an ambitious TBR for February. I’m most excited to read Well Met, One to Watch, and Get a Life, Chloe Brown.