February 2026

February… February was full of really high highs, and really low lows. I feel like the momentum from January traveled into February – I was still listening to a lot of music from Heated Rivalry. I think it’ll take awhile for that to change – but we also lost James Van Der Beek in February, and this news really hit me hard.

James has been, and forever will be, one of my favorite actors. His kindness was unparalleled and although I didn’t know him personally, I still felt his loss tremendously. I listened to a lot of the music from Dawson’s Creek after the news, which you’ll see in my February playlist below.

  1. I Don’t Want To Wait – Paula Cole
  2. I’ll Believe in Anything – Wolf Parade
  3. All The Things She Said – t.A.T.u.
  4. Untouched – The Veronicas
  5. All The Things She Said – Harrison
  6. My Moon My Man – Feist
  7. Teenage Dirtbag – Wheatus
  8. I’ll Be – Edwin McCain
  9. One Last Night – MR. FANTASY
  10. Homewrecker – sombr
  11. Shake Tramp – Marianas Trench
  12. Haven’t Had Enough – Marianas Trench
  13. Desperate Measures – Marianas Trench
  14. All To Myself (Rave Mix) – Marianas Trench

January 2026

January was those months where you just feel completely unstoppable.. It was the perfect way to start the new year.

The thing that stands out most to me, music wise, is being in Hawaii with two of my best friends, singing along to I’ll Believe in Anything, All The Things She Said, and Untouched. Also, exploring the island making a music video to Treasure by Bruno Mars. I can’t think of any of those songs now without smiling.

Here’s the official playlist:

  1. I’ll Believe in Anything – Wolf Parade
  2. All the Things She Said – t.A.T.u.
  3. Untouched – The Veronicas
  4. I Just Might – Bruno Mars
  5. All The Things She Said – Harrison
  6. Aperture – Harry Styles
  7. Man I Need – Olivia Dean
  8. So Easy (To Fall In Love) – Olivia Dean
  9. Die to Fall – The Maine
  10. My Moon My Man – Feist

If you want to see the Treasure video, click here! Nicole is so creative – go show her some appreciation!! We’ve also done a music video to Don’t Stop Believin‘ (the Glee version, obviously).

Would Your Favorite Band Do This?

This past weekend, I had such a pinch me moment at The Summer Set’s concert in Boston.

Music has always been something that defined my life. When I think about different stages of my life, I oftentimes remember it in terms of what music I was listening to at the time and I grew up very lucky being able to go to so many of my favorite artist’s concerts.

It was my love for Hot Chelle Rae that really took my affinity for concerts to the next level, in 2012, and it was through them that I discovered bands like The Summer Set. To be honest, I don’t really remember a time in my life, music-wise, where I wasn’t listening to them.

I became a fan of The Summer Set because of the songs Someone Like You and Thick as Thieves. I remember discovering these two songs on Pandora and then finding the rest of their music on Youtube. At the time, their discography was only the Love Like This and Everything’s Fine albums and …In Color and What Money Can’t Buy.

When I saw that The Summer Set was going on tour, I BEGGED my parents to take me. I was a young teenager with no license, living outside of the city, so that meant relying on my parents to bring me. Luckily, I had played Someone Like You and Thick as Thieves for my dad when I first heard them, and he really liked both songs, so convincing him wasn’t too difficult. Or, at least, looking back with rose colored glasses, it wasn’t.

That first show was on March 17th, 2013.

Since then, I’ve seen them a handful of times – through Legendary, Stories for Monday, their hiatus, Blossom, and now, Meet Me at the Record Store. I’ve seen them play basements, bars, clubs, you name it. I feel like I grew up with this band (and that’s because, if we’re being honest, I did).

Last week, the band sent out a text asking if any fans in Boston were top listeners last year. I was a top listener on Spotify, so I replied immediately and sent them my Wrapped. They responded, asking how many hours I’d listened and a little while later, I saw a post on Instagram asking Jordyn S. if she would come to soundcheck before their show in Boston on Sunday.

And y’all… The way my heart FELL. I was at work, trying to maintain composure, thinking there is simply no way the post was about ME?! Even after messaging privately, I still was in a state of disbelief, but Sunday came rolling around and I was let inside for soundcheck.

I hung around the venue for a little while before the band was ready for soundcheck and it felt a little surreal seeing so many people setting up different things in the space and bringing different equipment inside and on stage. I’ve been to many concerts, but I’ve never seen what goes on before or after a show.

Once the whole band was there and they started running through songs, they let me choose between some songs that weren’t on the setlist that I still wanted to hear live. They played Algorithm & Blues, Punch Drunk Love, and When We Were Young, which weren’t on the setlist, then they ran though For the First Time.

I’ve never been in a position where an artist I like is playing their music for an audience of two (two, because I brought my friend Nicole with me), I don’t think many people have. The venue was quiet except for some crew members milling about the building, and once the band started playing, it was like a full concert… just for me.

I’m a relatively quiet person – I take things in and digest them before I really react to them – and when they finished each song, I wasn’t sure… Do I cheer, do I clap, what do I do? I hadn’t had a moment yet in my head where I could really absorb what was going on and take everything in, and even though while they were playing, it felt loud like a real concert, once they stopped, the venue was quiet. I wasn’t used to the quiet.

It was during Punch Drunk Love that it really hit me. I was able to soak in what was going on and it was such a pinch me moment. Like a holy shit, this is my FAVORITE band right here and they are playing for ME.

I didn’t have my phone out, there was nothing distracting me, and I just let myself take in what was happening. I sang along, danced a little where I was standing, and just let myself have a moment of gratitude for the space I was in.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think something like this would happen. I’ve met the band before in passing, but I never imagined I’d be in a room with just them, listening to them play some of my favorite songs.

After they finished playing, they invited Nicole and I on stage where we got to talk a bit and take some photos.

The experience still felt so surreal, and I kept thinking of that 14 year old girl who saw The Summer Set for the very first time on St. Patrick’s Day in the basement of The Middle East. I don’t think she’d believe she’d be standing on stage, almost 13 years later to the date, with The Summer Set.

Later that night, Nicole and I had barricade for the show – Yes, I will forever be a diehard on the barricade for TSS. I danced my heart out, I screamed along to every song, and I even got a little teary to Legendary and Figure Me Out. I was kind of overwhelmed by the gratitude I felt for being able to be in this moment – to have followed a band for so long and to allow myself to feel so lucky I could experience something so special.

Summer Set shows are always some of the most fun concert experiences and I’m so grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to see them over the years. And what is beginning to stand out more for me now is that I feel like I picked such a special band to love. A band who want to do things for their fans, a band who will go out of their way to treat their fans well, a band who seem like a group of genuinely good people.

So, to Jess, John, Brian, and Stephen…

I’m still sorry for not asking you to play Gloria, but thank you for what you do, thank you for your kindness, thank you for inviting me to soundcheck, and keep making music for as long as it makes you happy.

The Shippers – Katherine Center

The Shippers – 3.5/5 ✩

The Shippers by Katherine Center follows JoJo as she tries to follow through on a plan to get her childhood crush to fall in love with her. What she doesn’t anticipate is her childhood best friend to help her on the journey… Or, does he actually hinder her?

JoJo is such a fun protagonist and as an avid cruiser, I loved reading a novel set on a cruise ship.

Something that I think is so special about this book is the family dynamics that are at play.

JoJo’s relationship with her relatives is critical to the novel. Her relationships highlight who she is as a person, her flaws, and her growth as a young woman. What also stands out is how the presence of her found family, her childhood neighbors, helps to juxtapose the child she once was with the woman that she’s become.

I also think Katherine Center wrote such a strong male lead. The way that Cooper, JoJo’s childhood best friend, talks to her and about her is something some people can only dream of. While their relationship is filled with miscommunication, its chaos and maturation is a joy on the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the digital galley in exchange for an honest review!

Game Changers Series – Rachel Reid

Like most women in our generation, the show Heated Rivalry has taken over my world this winter. Truly, 10000/10 ✩, cannot say enough good things. And because I’m me and I love to read (and also because I couldn’t get enough of the world Jacob Tierney built) I knew I needed to go back to the OG source material and pick up Rachel’s books.

Overall, I really loved the series. I wasn’t sure if I would. Because I love the show so much and we don’t meet all of the books’ characters in the series, I didn’t really think I’d have an interest in many of the books – but boy was I WRONG. And I’ve never been happier to be wrong (and if you know me, you know I hate being wrong!).

I tore through Game Changer, then Heated Rivalry and the Long Game.

Maybe I’m biased because I loved the show so much, but I genuinely feel like Heated Rivalry is a masterpiece. The yearning, the POV shifts, the love Shane and Ilya share.. . It’s masterful. I would re-read this book 100 times over if that wouldn’t be frowned upon by the outside world (although, I think my fellow fans would understand). I also am so blown away by how faithful the adaptation is. I think I’d trust Jacob Tierney with every adaptation going forward. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a page to screen project so faithful.

When I started reading, I chose to read the series completely out of order (going from Game Changer to Heated Rivalry to The Long Game, then to Role Model, Tough Guy, and Common Goal).

What surprised me most about the series was Role Model. We don’t meet Troy or Harris in the tv series, so to be honest, my interest in this book was almost non-existent when I picked it up.

But I was roped into Troy and Harris’ story from the very first page – I just couldn’t put the book down. I loved Troy’s growth throughout the book and I loved how much his and Harris’ characters juxtaposed each other, while also bringing out the best in each other. I read the majority of the book on a plane, and I remember thinking to myself ‘Wow, these people around me are really missing out’. I had BUTTERFLIES reading this book and I had to resist the urge to sit there and kick my feet smiling the entire time I read. If anyone was watching me, they were probably wondering why I was smiling so big and for so long on our mid-day, six hour flight.

Now that I’ve finished the whole series, I think a ranking is in order. I do plan on re-reading the series, but after my first read through..

My Ranking of The Game Changers books

  1. Heated Rivalry
  2. Role Model
  3. The Long Game
  4. Tough Guy
  5. Common Goal
  6. Game Changer

Now, I KNOW this is a hot take and most people will disagree, but let me justify a little bit.

#1 – Heated Rivalry will forever take the number one spot. I love how fun this book is. Like I said, I love the yearning and I think there’s a sense of joy and a type of character growth in this book that you don’t see in the others. Even though we don’t see Shane and Ilya together as an official couple until the very, very end of this book, I loved the build up and I loved being along with them on their journey as they fell in love and learned how to accept and embrace this love they share.

#2 – I loved the overlaps between The Long Game and Role Model, but I put Role Model above The Long Game because as much as I love Shane and Ilya, I felt happier reading Role Model. Like I said, I loved Troy and Harris and seeing their innocent love blossom into something real was so special. Which leads us into #3…

#3 – The Long Game falls in at #3 because I love the happy moments between Shane and Ilya. There are so many moments I just had to pause and smile. I can’t wait to see so many of these scenes on the screen (especially the wedding with Ruby and Jade and the trophy room scene, OBVIOUSLY). And I understand why this book wasn’t all fluffy and fun and I empathize with Shane and Ilya because I understand why they can’t just come out and be happy. I also understand Ilya’s struggles and I love watching him come to grips with his emotions and not only get to a place where he knows he needs help, but actually acting on it. And I don’t blame Shane for not seeing how much he was struggling, but I also don’t love that Shane could be so blind to what Ilya was going through at times. But that’s not to say I didn’t love the book, because I did. I think I was just hoping some of the story could be happier, but I do understand why it couldn’t be and that’s why it falls at #3 instead of #1 where people usually put it.

#4 – I loved getting inside Ryan’s head in this book. We met him so briefly in Heated Rivalry, so I loved getting more background on his character to fully understand why he was so scared on the plane with Ilya in HR and then seeing him grow with Fabian. Because I read Role Model and The Long Game first, I remember reading how proud Ryan was to see Fabian on stage at his show, and I really enjoyed seeing how they actually came together on the page.

#5 – Seeing Kyle back in this book was a joy and I loved getting into the nitty gritty of Eric’s life. I really enjoyed how these two created a safe space amongst themselves and I loved the yearning.

#6 – This is the other Hot Take… I KNOW people don’t usually put Game Changer as last on their list, but I do have a very specific reason for doing so. Scott and Kip’s love is so crucial to the entire arc in this series and I love them together, but I was SAD during so much of this book. I felt like some parts of it dragged a little too long, and I just wanted Scott and Kip to be able to be together and be HAPPY. And of course, I do understand why they couldn’t be and I really feel for Scott in particular. I never felt like he was trying to string Kip along, in fact, I felt like he was very open and honest with him in terms of what he could give. What I dislike is that he was in a position where he felt like he couldn’t give more, even though he wanted to. The fact that he couldn’t openly be with the person he loves made me sad, and on the flip side, I was sad for Kip because he also deserved to be with someone who could love him openly and honestly. I really do hate to put Game Changer in the bottom spot because I adore Scott and Kip, and contrary to this ranking, they are actually high up there on my list of favorite couples. I just wish they could have been together sooner, but I do love seeing them happy in Common Goal.

I’m curious to see if these rankings will change at all when I re-read. I plan on doing a tandem read and reading the series as it takes place chronologically – so if something changes, loons, I’ll report back!

First and Forever – Lynn Painter

First and Forever – 5/5 ✩

First and Forever by Lynn Painter is about football super fan Duffy Distefano and tight end Connor Cunningham who meet in the midst of a PR nightmare. They instantly hit it off, yet they end up entangled in a fake dating scheme. So, where does the scheme end and where do real feelings begin?

I think it’s safe to say, that much like how Duffy is a football super fan, I am a Lynn Painter super fan. I’ve read each and every Lynn Painter book and I sat down and read this one in one sitting. I simply could not put it down.

If you love banter, then this is the book for you. Very few authors can do banter like Lynn Painter and I sat there laughing the entire time I was reading. I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face (except for those couple scenes where I couldn’t keep the tears at bay, iykyk).

Something else Lynn does really well is write men who fall first and fall HARD and this book was no exception. I loved how goofy Connor could be, but also how much he was willing to work to win Duffy’s heart and how the two of them together were able to match each other’s snark and affection.

Truly, I loved every moment of this book. It ranged from scenes with light banter to conversations that really tugged at the heartstrings. I also thought it was very special how important both of their families were to them and how they were able to share that with each other.

My ONLY piece of criticism is that I wish we got to see a little more of their relationship on the page without their families being there too. It’s clear how much these two care about each other and it’s clear when their relationship progressed, but I also wanted to see just more of them on the page together.

Regardless, I LOVED this book and it’s easily a 5/5 ✩ novel for me. I truly can’t wait for this book to hit shelves and for the world to become engrossed in Duffy and Connor’s love story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the uncorrected ebook file in exchange for an honest review!


Stranger Things Have Happened – Katie West

Stranger Things Have Happened – 5/5 ✩

Stranger Things Have Happened is a rom com by Kasie West that follows Sutton and Elijah, a pair of strangers who begin going to couples therapy as part of a bet. Throughout the novel, the lines between what’s fake and what’s real get blurred and both Sutton and Elijah have to determine what means the most to them, the life they thought they had to live or the life they’re realizing they want to live.

Sutton and Elijah couldn’t be more opposite, but they bring out qualities in each other that each one has always wanted to bring to the surface. The chemistry between the pair is off the charts, but that’s not the only thing that jumps off the page. The beauty of this novel lies in the growth Sutton and Elijah undergo together.

When we meet Sutton, she’s uptight, she’s struggling to figure out how, or if she wants, to maintain a relationship with either of her parents, and there’s a part of her that worries if she can even be fun. Similarly, Elijah is a people pleaser and he feels indebted to his father, locking him into a career he doesn’t have a passion for.

When these two begrudgingly come together, it makes them realize not only how much they need each other, but also how much they want to be in each other’s lives. Sutton even makes a comment about how safe she feels with him and notes how she’s never felt this sort of all consuming nature of a relationship before.

This novel is more than a fun, fluffy romance. It’s beauty, it’s growth, and of course, it’s a love story. I laughed with Sutton and Elijah and I cried with them. I loved this novel and I truly can’t recommend it enough.

Also, this cover is STUNNING!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press | Saturday Books for the Digital Galley in exchange for an honest review!

P.S. – Elijah is officially added to my ever-growing list of Perfect Book Boyfriends. Read the book, and he’ll be on yours too! ❤