callieleigh

The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

January 15, 2020January 15, 2020by callieleighLeave a Comment

Hello, World.

Browsing Barnes and Noble last year, I spotted The Girl He Used to Know on the shelves. The cover held a certain familiarity because I’d seen it filling up my Instagram feed for months. The cover, a watercolor of a woman facing away, is pretty and captivating. Alas, I bought the book and then it gathered dust on my shelves. I wanted to pick it up, but I just never did. Using the Libby app, I got the audiobook and listened to it on my commute. The story was captivating, and I immediately felt bad that I had never picked up the book. This seems to be a theme lately, so I’m glad audiobooks force me to get through books I’ve wanted to read but haven’t picked up. Continue reading “The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis Graves” →

books, Library

Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur

December 12, 2019December 12, 2019by callieleigh1 Comment

Hello, World.

Nonfiction is having a moment in my life. With Nonfiction November over, I’m a bit sad to report I only read one nonfiction book. However, seeing as November was a terribly slow reading month (I only read two books!), I’m happy that I at least read one nonfiction book. I used to read exclusively fiction, warding off nonfiction like it was an evil spirit. Still, I find myself gravitating toward nonfiction more than I ever have, and I wanted to share my thoughts about Wild Game, the memoir I finished over the weekend. Continue reading “Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur” →

books, Library

Whisper Network by Chandler Baker

November 19, 2019November 19, 2019by callieleighLeave a Comment

Hello, World.

There is strength in numbers. Me too. Don’t do that. We hear you. Continue reading “Whisper Network by Chandler Baker” →

Adventures

Bad on Paper Live Show – Podcast

November 1, 2019October 27, 2019by callieleighLeave a Comment

Hello, World.

I told someone recently that I had plans to go see a live podcast show. They responded, “how very millennial of you.” I laughed and moved along. Truth be told, I was not entirely sure what a live podcast show entailed, but I assumed it was a live version of the show that I listen to every Wednesday. Bad on Paper is a podcast I’ve talked about in this space previously, and it’s a podcast I’ve grown to wholeheartedly love over time. Grace and Becca, the show’s co-hosts, feel like friends who I grab coffee with every Wednesday morning. Their voices accompany me on my morning commute, I laugh with them through a sip of Nespresso, and I’ve heavily debated saving up for a night pillow after weeks of listening to them promise better sleep while simultaneously fighting the crook in my neck from sleeping weirdly. Continue reading “Bad on Paper Live Show – Podcast” →

books, Library

Book Buying Freeze: Why I’m Doing It & Exceptions

October 30, 2019October 27, 2019by callieleighLeave a Comment

Hello, World.

Over on Instagram, I’ve mentioned many times that I am currently on a book buying freeze. I am not buying new books for the foreseeable future because, quite frankly, my TBR stacks in my apartment are out of control. I wanted to write this post for a few reasons, but mostly I was inspired to share why I’m on a buying freeze even though I recently started a bookstagram recently. I also wanted to share why I think it’s important to stop buying books periodically and read what you already have. I also want to transform my book buying habits and stopping all purchases for a period of time gives me the space to come up with more thoughtful goals. Continue reading “Book Buying Freeze: Why I’m Doing It & Exceptions” →

Adventures

Adulting Update

October 29, 2019October 27, 2019by callieleighLeave a Comment

Hello, World.

When I was in my first year of law school, I wrote a post about how the first year after undergrad graduation is really hard. About a month ago, I watched as influencer Brooke Miccio quit her corporate job to become a full-time influencer after only four months in an office. As a viewer of her videos, I witnessed the steady decline of her mental health as she finished college and started working in a new city, only to realize she was lonely, not thriving in the office atmosphere, and feeling generally unhappy with her career. There is a lot of literature available about working a corporate job versus leaving to pursue a passion. At the Bad on Paper live show, there was a lot of talk about what someone should do before taking the leap out of one career and into another. Miccio received a lot of comments on her videos that said something along the lines of “you didn’t stay long enough! You should have given it six months!” She resisted the haters, saying she’s in a unique position to ride the influencer wave until it’s gone and that because she’s been working since high school, she has money saved in case it’s a flop. She also stressed the privileged position she holds, saying she understands not everyone can quit after four months. Continue reading “Adulting Update” →

books, Library

Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering

October 29, 2019October 28, 2019by callieleighLeave a Comment

Hello, World.

Attraction is illogical and is not always reasonable or controllable. Sometimes we encounter people who, for inexplicable reasons, create a sort of stirring in our gut, one that gets us excited and, sometimes, makes us a little crazy. When you find someone who makes you feel like the only person in the room, who generates a flutter of butterflies deep within you every time they say your name or their name appears on your phone, it’s sometimes hard to let them go. Continue reading “Tell Me Lies by Carola Lovering” →

Adventures, law school

I Passed the Bar Exam! – Some Thoughts

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019by callieleigh3 Comments

Hello, World.

In August 2016, I moved across the country from California to Virginia to begin law school. I began my journey in a cloud of naiveté, convinced that my experience would be somewhere between Legally Blonde and The Paper Chase. A naturally driven person, I’d worked throughout my academic career and wanted to continue my academic journey at the oldest law school in the country. I had no reason to believe that my successes would be any less than they were in the past. Continue reading “I Passed the Bar Exam! – Some Thoughts” →

books, Library

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

October 27, 2019by callieleighLeave a Comment

Hello, World.

You know the books whose covers you recognize because they pop up everywhere for a period of time? Well, Katherine Center’s How to Walk Away was that book for me. When it came out, it seemed like everyone I followed was posting about it—raving about it! I wanted to read it but seeing as I was in the midst of finishing law school, I didn’t get to it. This summer, while studying for the bar exam, I noticed Center’s new book, Things You Save in a Fire, was a Book of the Month pick. I knew I wouldn’t get to it immediately but chose it anyway. Well, three months later and after receiving news I passed the bar exam, I got through this book and I’m so glad I did. Continue reading “Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center” →

books, Library

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

October 18, 2019October 18, 2019by callieleigh1 Comment

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Hello, World.

Sometimes I think romance novels peaked with Austen and Bronte. The After series, a beloved romance series, references Pride and Prejudice almost religiously and Wuthering Heights acts as the model for the main relationship. Other modern romances often harken back to the Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy scenario. A man aching for a woman but utterly incapable of showing it; a strong-willed woman who mistakes his lack of game for pompous superiority. The story is one we’ve come to know well as a society, and yet it’s one that, when executed well, never disappoints. Continue reading “Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore” →