Can you believe we are already HALFWAY through the week?! Today I’m doing another Book Tag(because honestly, they’re so much fun). The weekly series is called WWW Wednesday and is hosted by Taking on a World of Worlds. I’d also like to give a special thanks to Diary of a Book Fiend for inspiring me to do the challenge!! Basically, it’s kind of like an update of what my reading life has been looking like… so without further ado, let’s answer the questions! I will include them down below before my answers- please feel free to answer them in your own post and share it with me:)
What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? What do you think you’ll read next?
It’s taking me a while to go through the second book of the series but I’m hoping it picks up as I go along! Surprisingly I blew through Twilight! I always stayed away from the series growing up because I thought the movies were a bit cliche but I actually enjoyed reading this…especially since it’s almost fall.
This choice honestly depends on how I feel about New moon!! If I don’t end up liking it I might switch over to another series. I guess we’ll see next Wednesday…
Alrighty, that’s it for my weekly reading venture! I hope you guys enjoyed reading this and thanks again for the creator and blogger who inspired me to create my own! Stay tuned for more posts coming soon…
I hope you guys are having a great day so far. Today’s post is a little different but also something I want to start doing more on the blog! The “Tag” is called Reader Problems and I was inspired by Bookinspector to answer the questions on my blog! Anyways I thought it would be a fun post to share with you all and I hope you guys enjoy learning more about my reading style…
Ok let’s get into the questions!!
You have 20,000 books on your TBR, how do you decide what to read next?
Oh gosh that’s a lot of books🙊 Honestly I tend to read according of the “Season” I’m in. This doesn’t necessarily just mean the weather aspect of the word- it can also depend on my mood or an event that is coming up for me! For example, since if I had to choose a book at this specific time… I would probably pick a mystery or something with a cozy plot because it’s almost fall!
You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you put it down or are you committed?
If I’m being honest- I’ll probably put it down! This doesn’t mean I won’t try again some other time but I try to make reading as relaxing and stress free as possible… because it’s something I really enjoy! I don’t want to put pressure on myself to finish a book that really isn’t grasping my attention- and potentially hold me back from a book that will.
The end of the year is coming and you’re behind on your reading challenge. Do you try to catch up? And if so, how?
This is a tough question to answer because I do like to keep up with any sort of challenge that I commit to… but when it comes to books I really like to pace myself. I would rather settle for reading fewer books and read them thoroughly. This way I’m able to enjoy them rather than hastily get through them just to add them to a list to make my goal.
The covers of a series you love do not match, how do you cope?
Hmm… this honestly doesn’t bother me that much! I’m more concerned with how the content inside speaks to me.
Everyone and their mother loves a book that you do not. Who do you bond with over your shared feelings?
I’ve recently found the bookish community on twitter to be SUPER welcoming and I feel comfortable sharing my opinions with people I’ve met through there and through blogging of course!
You’re reading a book in public and you’re about to start crying. How do you deal?
I am a very emotional person(#HSP life) so this is kind of a tough question for me… I think if a book moves me to tears I would attempt to find a more secluded place to control myself😂
The sequel to a book you loved just came out but you’ve forgotten a lot of what happens. Are you going to reread it?
I would definitely re-read it! I think the sequel would be more enjoyable if I am refreshed with the characters and plot instead of attempting to recall everything from memory.
You do not want anyone to borrow your books, how do you politely say no when someone asks?
I’d just be honest with them!
You have picked up and put down 5 books in the last month. How do you get over this reading slump?
Reading slumps are the worst… but the best way for me to get out of them is to read a favorite book of mine that I haven’t read in a while. This really gets me excited about reading again and usually does the trick!
There are so many books coming out that you are dying to read. How many do you end up buying?
I usually only buy books after I finish quite a few on my TBR or if I’m currently reading a series and don’t have the next one! But if there’s a good deal(which there usually is) and I’m in the mood to read a ton… I’ll probably by 2-3 at a time!
After you purchase all of these books that you’re dying to read, how long do they sit on your shelf before you read them?
This depends on the season of my life that I’m in! When I was college books would stay unread on my shelves for weeks because of my class reading list(English majors can relate) but since I’ve graduated I tend to read them much more quickly!
Ok guys… that’s it for the questions!! I hope you guys enjoyed my post & thanks again to Bookinspector for the tag!! If you would like to answer the questions yourself- I just tagged you!🙈 make sure to link me on your post so I can see the answers to your questions☺️
Hi I’m SO excited for this week’s post… because it’s my first installment of my Bookish Character Challenge! I’m currently on New Moon(the second book in the twilight series) but I know Alice pretty well from the first book so I’m excited to do a drop character analysis and share how I channeled her this week! I will separate this post into 3 different categories: My character analysis, an inspired outfit, and my inspired “Day in the life”! I hope you guys enjoy… let’s get into the good stuff!🧚🏼♀️
My Character Analysis
Alice is definitely my favorite character so far(although I still have quite a few books to go before finishing the series). She has this impish and fairy like quality to her- making her unique compared to the other characters. I myself am a very quirky person(ask any of my friends or family) and I really related to her character being a little eccentric. Although I have some qualms about the way the movie portrayed the books- I will say that Ashley Greene did a great job of portraying Alice… and I look forward to comparing the two portrayals know that I have started reading the books!
Outfit
Aside for my love for literature- I also enjoy fashion! I love recreating outfits and Alice was such a fun character to style! Even though it’s still summer where I live- I opted for some warmer pieces… after all- technically I’d be living in Forks🙈
Here are the outfit deets!
Top: Leopard Cami, White Cropped T-shirt(Both from Forever 21)
Bottom: Ripped Jeans(Express)
Accessories: Black Scrunchie(Forever 21)
I had so much fun picking out an outfit for Alice because her style(in my opinion) is really fun and bubbly like her personality. I feel like she’d totally wear TONS of crazy prints and of course plenty of scrunchies on her wrist.
“Day in the Life”
Alice is very in tune with her surroundings and has a keen ability of predicting events that happen in the future. I certainly do not have that ability(but it would be awesome if I did!) but I decided to channel this energy into journaling about my own future! I sat in chair about by my bed and intensely drafted what I thought my future would look like. In addition to this- I took a look at my dream journal. I have very vivid dreams(sometimes even lucid ones) and I find it helpful to write them down in one place so I can remember them clearly. I think Alice would do the same thing if she could dream!
Well- that’s about it for the post! Alice was such a fun character to recreate and I’m really excited to start doing more of these posts for the blog! If you have a suggestion for the next character I do comment down below or DM me on any of my social media platforms!! If you decide to do this character challenge… I’d LOVE to see it! Use the hashtag #bookishcc or #sheswellread so I can find it and make sure to tag me! I hope you guys enjoyed this post and be on the lookout for more things coming soon.
I hope you all are having a great day so far! Since it’s officially September(Pumpkin spice anyone?!?) I decided to write up a list of all the books I’d like to read in September! This list is bound to change but I love seeing these videos on YouTube and wanted to make a blog version. So without further ado…
Let’s talk books!🤓
1. Twilight by Stephenie Myer
I’ve actually never read the series but I have watched some of the movies! I thought September would be the perfect time to read the first book because it’s now the beginning of fall and cozy weather is around the corner. Although I’m 22 and very much over the teen vampire craze I think it would be interesting to compare the movies to the plot line in the book!
2. A Study in Charlotte by Brittney Cavallaro
I am an avid Sherlock Holmes fan so when I stumbled across this rendition of the classic novel I had to add it to my list! I’m also writing my own mystery novel(details on that coming soon) and thought this would be the perfect inspiration as I’m crafting my characters and plot.
3. Cook Books
This one is a little vague but one of my goals has been to cook and bake more! That being said, I’m no barefoot contessa so I’m obviously going to need some help. I have a few books in mine but I specifically want to bake bread and muffins( since it’s fall). Depending on how the month goes I might share what I make on the blog and possibly show some on the process on my social media!
4. Victoria
I am a big fan of historical fiction and since seeing the first few episodes on BBC I scrambled to find the book to read along with the show! Victoria is such a strong and poignant female lead so I’m very excited to see how she is portrayed throughout the series. She may also be one of the characters I choose for my bookish character challenge!
I read quite a few novels by Oscar Wilde in college and am curious to see how I like his work when I’m not being tested on it! I was intrigued after r adding the initial plot and will be excited to see how the book pans out(that is if I do decide to read it)
This list more poses as more of an inspiration than a strict guide. I find reading to be stressful when I’m confined to a specific set of novels to read so instead I like to pick a few novels in my favorite genre. If I don’t decide to read the novel I at least have plenty of inspiration for other books like it. I hope you guys enjoyed my post for today and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any updates from me!
Before I get into my post I want to share a little scenario with you:
Like many bloggers who post content on the internet- I am very meticulous in what I choose to post to social media. If I’m being completely honest- I have dozens of copies of the same photo and I usually go through them multiple times before I decide to post it. Then, I wait. I sit and check my phone for notifications. I scroll through my feed and see what other people have posted. This is when doubt starts to settle in. I start to regret posting the picture(even if it was just a cup of coffee sitting next to my computer. Thoughts about what my friends and followers will think of it cloud my head and I wonder if I should have even posted in the first place.
Does this sound familiar? Many of us often get trapped in comparison, but I’m here to tell you that obsessing over what other people think is not worth it…and here’s why.
Last night, I was scrolling through the apps on my phone. I went through the same couple of apps and eventually found my way to Instagram. I started to go through the profiles of people I was following and found myself in awe of how they were living their lives. I craved what I saw in their stories almost as if I was watching a television show. Then these 6 words crossed my mind- and later but everything into perspective.
“I want to be like them”
My mind lingered on the phrase a bit- and I asked myself…”Do I really want to be like these people?”. I have no idea what is going on in their lives, what they have overcome, and the things they have to face every day. Then, I started to think about my own life. I craved the life of someone else- but didn’t think about the one I was truly blessed with. I didn’t live in a big city, or drink green smoothies every day for breakfast- but I do have a supportive family, an amazing church, and a closet full of beautiful clothes. I have a healthy body, and the ability to take walks during golden hour. I was able to wake up in the morning and make breakfast while cuddling with my dog.
I was spending so much time watching the lives of others- that I wasn’t taking time to appreciate the life I have been given. This moment reminded me of a practice I learned in Gabrielle Bernstein’s book “The Universe has your Back”. In one of the chapter’s she talks about having the power to be present. Everyday we have the power to wake up and pursue what we want in life…but it really starts with us.
With this new mindset I decided to craft an Instagram post that was truly authentic. I wasn’t after likes…I wrote what was on my heart. I am about three months in to my post grad life and my situation isn’t as sunny as I thought it be. In this post I was honest about my feelings. I wanted to encourage those who came across my picture to be authentic with their social media presence- and I wasn’t expecting anything in return. So I posted the picture and put my phone down.
When I picked up my phone moments later, I didn’t expect the response my message was getting. I had dozens of comments and likes showing up in my notifications. I would be lucky to get 20 likes on a photo in my feed but I was getting almost double that amount. A feeling of peace surrounded me as I responded to the comments. This peace wasn’t a result of the number of likes or even the praise from commenters. This peace came from from somewhere much more meaningful.
It came from the heart.
I wasn’t trying to be someone else, or framing the best parts of my life for others to see. I was raw and honest about the struggles going on in my life…and that really spoke to my audience! No one is happy 100% of the time- but EVERYONE struggles with something. So instead of trying to make my feed perfect- I stripped it down to the person I really am inside and trusted that this was enough for me.
Trust me, showing the messy parts of you can be scary…but I invite you to share what’s underneath. You don’t have to tell everyone about every aspect of your life, but we all know our lives aren’t rainbows and unicorns 24/7. Who knows…they might even relate to what you have to say(P.S they usually do;)
So, I challenge you to post an authentic post on any of your social media platforms(or all of them!). If you decide to do this…I’d love to see it!! Tag me in your posts on Instagram @jasminealiamatos, twitter @sheswellread with the hashtag #sheswellread !
I hope you guys were inspired by this post to be more authentic on social media…I have some exciting projects(and possibly courses!) in the works, so make sure you are subscribed to my newsletter and are following me on social media!
Coffee with Creatives: Working in Social Media with Guest Edel Rimando
In the first episode of Coffee with Creatives, Jasmine chats with social media superstar and college friend Edel Rimando who works for Her Campus as a Social Video Editor. Tune in every week for inspiration to live a more creative life! Follow Jas✨ Instagram: @Jasminealiamatos Twitter: Sheswellread Blog: Sheswellread.com Follow Edel✨ Instagram: @edeliee
In the first episode of She’s Well Read The Podcast, I talk with a great friend of mine, Edel Rimando, who works at Her Campus as a Social Video Editor. I’m so excited to start my very first series of the podcast: Coffee with Creatives, where I talk with amazing individuals who work creative jobs! I love talking to people about what they are passionate about and I hope you enjoy listening to this inspiring individuals as much as I do!
If you listened to the podcast(THANK YOU!) Make sure to send me a coffee cup emoji in the comments or in my D.M so I can see who’s listening:) I am so excited to show you what I have planned for Coffee with Creatives, and so much for to come.
I don’t know about you, but I am a huge fan of birthday cake. There are so many different flavors- chocolate, vanilla, strawberry…and don’t even get me started on the ones filled with ice cream. Like any great birthday cake, it takes time to gather the ingredients and well- actually bake the cake! I’d like to think that my first post on my blog would be constructed in the same way. It may take time to get to know the person(me) behind all of these blog posts- but eventually, you’ll see my aspirations and quirks shine out…but let’s move away from delicious baked goods for a second.
All my life I’ve been fascinated by books-especially fairy tales. I love how descriptive the authors craft each narrative which can either leave you with a giant smile on your face or even with a few stray tears. My love of literature led me to study English in college and now as a graduate, I am pursuing a career as a writer! I believe stories have the power to shape our lives and I have learned many lessons from the numerous novels I have read over the years. Although I would classify myself as an introvert, I realized that I wanted to share this wonderful discovery with the world. I wanted to inspire others to not only “read” more- but to use books as a tool to become better people- and live a more fulfilled life!
So, in closing, I want to thank you for taking the time to read my very first post. I have so much in store for this blog and maybe even a couple of surprises here and there. If you love books, coffee, Disney, or even just want to say Hi, I’d LOVE to hear from you. Make sure to follow me on my social media handles on the top bar… and if you do D.M me your favorite book if you have one!:)
If this is the first post you’re reading from me- Welcome! and if you’ve been here before I am excited to be back on my computer and creating content for the blog. A trend I’ve seen going around in the fashion and beauty industry is dressing up like famous celebrities for a week. Each day the person creating the outfits would choose an iconic look that the celebrity/ TV star is known for. I decided to do something similar but instead of using celebrities for inspiration- I would choose a book character. If you have been following me for awhile, you know have obsessed with books I am(and I certainly have the shelves the prove it). I decided that each week I would choose a book and post my adventure living like this character at the end of the week. I’m not too keen on showing my face on camera but I am considering doing “Vlog” style updates on my Instagram. (Introverts will know the struggle). If you are interested in following me through this series and potentially choosing which character I do every week please make sure you’re subscribed to both my blog(upper right–hand corner) and my Instagram(jasminealiamatos). I’m super excited about this series and I hope you guys are too! My first post will be up next Friday…be sure to check my Instagram to see the first character I’m doing!
