Hey, everyone! This last weekend, I had the absolute best time EVER going down to D.C. to run in the annual Cherry Blossom Ten-Miler Race. This is my second year running it, and I’m obsessed with the course - it’s (mostly) flat, fast, and covered in cherry blossoms. What else do you need? This year, course highlights also included a man dressed as Gandalf standing on a median, complete with a staff, an (unofficial) beer and oreo stop, and my favorite sign, which said “You’re going to have to DIG DEEP! - Jeff Probst”, which filled my Survivor-loving heart with glee.
Anyhow, it was a great day, both emotionally (I loved it!) and athletically (I ran it twelve minutes faster than I did last year!) And it got me thinking about all of the best parts of the transition into spring! This has been a weird winter - normally, I don’t mind cold and cold weather activities, but with hardly any snow and a whole lot of freezing rain, I spent a LOT more time inside this winter than I prefer. So now that spring is springing, I can’t wait to spend as MUCH time out in it as possible.
A few other things I’m looking forward to now that the weather is getting warmer:
GRILLING! Dustin and I got a grill a few years ago, and now that we’re in a house with a great backyard (or at least, one that will be great once I buckle down and clean it up), I’m so excited to host out there and spend as many days as possible making dinner outside.
GARDENING! Full disclosure - I’ve literally never managed to keep a plant alive. (I keep all the humans and animals in my house alive, though, so I’m not completely useless!) But we’ve got a front yard now and some space in the back, and I’d really like to bring some greenery into our lives. I’m way too anxious about the cat getting into things to ever have plants in the house, so this year, we’re going to try and keep some outside things alive!
OUTSIDE READING! Obviously, this is the best part of warm weather - and I’m getting a little taste of it in a couple of weeks, when I head down to Florida to see family and do the most exciting book thing I’ve ever done - I’m taking a research cruise! That’s right, a research cruise. Because my third book (DASHED) is set on a summer-long cruise, I decided I needed to get my cruise on and really make sure I capture the experience properly.
And here’s where all of you come in! For the last few weeks, I’ve been giving YOU recommendations - now, I want to hear yours! I especially need gardening help, because I’ve literally never done it, so if you have any books or resources about maintaining outside plants for the absolute beginner, please pass them along in the comments! And hey, if there’s anything else you want to see for spring, pop it in there too - I’d love for all of us to be able to share the things we love with one another.
Of course, because it’s me, I can’t just send you all into the week empty-handed! So I have two quick suggestions for you - one that’s out now and one that you can preorder - that will make you feel like spring is blooming on your bookshelves!
Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas
We’re deep in the heart of spring break season, which means that some of you definitely have kids in your lives that need to be entertained. Look no further than this amazing new magical adventure by Angie Thomas, author of THE HATE U GIVE! Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Harry Potter, this could easily be the next big thing - get in on it early and then give your kids (or kids at heart) bragging power for years to come.
Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (out 6/13)
This one’s firmly a preorder - it’ll be out in June - but I just read it this last weekend and I HAVE to talk about it. Ali Hazelwood is the master of academic and scientific romances, and this new one might just be my favorite yet??? What I love about Ali’s books is how clearly she lays out her character - with a single line, she can define a character’s entire existence, even if they couldn’t do that themselves, and it makes it even more satisfying for the reader when they get to meet their perfect match. As always, character chemistry is off the charts. This will be the IDEAL summer read, so get your preorder in now!
That’s all for this week - give me your gardening and springtime life tips in the comments below, and I’ll see you in the next one!
running through the cherry blossoms,
Amanda
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