good morning from starbucks at 5am. i’m so happy to be back in my routine of capitalizing on my morning energy… and that it’s not pitch black hours after i get here.
also, two random thoughts for your tuesday morning:
1 — dentist offices need to partner with beauty. i’m sitting here for 45 minutes… throw on some eye gels, maybe tint my brows. let’s habit stack.
2 — can kindle or audible or goodreads create a resource for podcasts about books? like when you finish a book it just serves you the top 3 podcast episodes discussing it. there is nothing i want to do more after finishing a book than hear other people talk about it… but by the time i go looking, i’ve already moved on to the next thing.
if you need more reading inspo, i keep my recs updated here and here!
this book was everywhere, and of course i downloaded it and then forgot about it, so i was a little late to the trend. ugh, i loved it. i listened to it and really loved the feeling of hearing her life unfold through the letters, but now i’m curious to see the hard copy too. i’m working on some formatting for journal entries and slack messages right now, so reading a whole novel told through letters felt especially interesting.
you’ll like this if you like:
beautiful writing and books about writing
the long-term weight of secrets on relationships
love stories at any age
epistolary novels
quiet, character-driven books that sneak up on you
wait just saw this is free on kindle rn?! one of my close friends (hannah!) introduced me to sarah a few months ago, and sarah so generously got on the phone with me to talk about writing and publishing. i preordered the book right after our call, and it did not disappoint. i both read and listened. it was a slower start for me, but once i got about 25% in, i couldn’t stop. i’ve been thinking about these characters for weeks.
you’ll like this if you like:
classic nyc workaholic “will they or won’t they”
post-divorce coming of age
behind-the-scenes of show business
character-driven stories that build slowly and then hook you
books that linger after you finish
this one gutted me, but in the best way. i laughed, cried, and felt so deeply invested in their lives. quick trigger warning for child loss. the pacing, the characters, the sense of place… everything just worked. the kind of book i wish i could read again for the first time, you know?
you’ll like this if you like:
love triangles (with class divides woven in)
“the one who got away” stories
books that explore where grief goes over time
immersive settings that feel like a character themselves
emotional, character-driven stories that stay with you
i loved this. life after a cult, fame, and a will-they-or-won’t-they? say less.
i’ve loved following Olivia Muenter career (and interviewed her here), and i actually met her irl at a book signing recently and got to thank her for being so honest and open about her process. i really credit becca and olivia’s podcast bad on paper for turning up the volume on my delusion that i can do this too. that you just have to start.
but anyway. i loved olivia’s debut, such a bad influence (i actually used it as a comp when i first went out on submission), and her sophomore absolutely lived up to the hype.
you’ll like this if you like:
cult stories
books that make you question what really happened (in a good way)
that feeling of wanting to reread immediately to catch what you missed
women reinventing themselves in nyc… or trying to
slightly unsettling, thought-provoking reads that stick with you
my friend works with laurie and so generously introduced us to chat about writing. i immediately downloaded her novel… and then forgot about it. but when i was in la with no service, i was so thrilled to see i had this on my kindle ready to go. i absolutely ripped through it. i’m not even a bachelor watcher, and i imagine you’d love it even more if you are.
you’ll like this if you like:
stories about authors, creativity, and living in your head while also trying to exist in the real world
behind-the-scenes reality tv drama
messy, layered “will they or won’t they” (x2)
fast-paced, bingeable reads
characters you can’t fully trust (in a fun way)
i saw courtney speak on a panel with her agent at tbr and felt immediately drawn to her. i subscribed to her substack on writing right after. i honestly had no idea what i was getting into when i downloaded this, but i devoured it. as someone who used to work in tech, the lightly speculative angle felt perfect.
you’ll like this if you like:
tech work culture—long days, blurred boundaries, power dynamics
black sheep of the family stories
“the men are not okay” energy
slightly speculative, near-future vibes that feel a little too real
smart, sharp writing about ambition and identity
up next on my tbr:
highlights:
this weather! our yard! dirty little feet and fingernails
lots of special 1:1 friend time recently
back in a writing groove
lowlights:
the news
the inbetween season where you still MIGHT need that coat but also sandals so every closet/mudroom is overstuffed
so many ideas, so few hours
i love this peel-off lip liner or just lip stain. i have/love the color noodhe. no make-up make-up vibe.
my 5yo looooves these. i keep one in my diaper bag and out in the kitchen. he will grab it and we will sit together and while i read he works on this. going to order another for an upcoming trip.
i love these cute lil glass straws. they make my random drinks at home feel special, idk!
before we wrap up — thank you so much for reading!
if you liked these book recs, you might like my previous versions:
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Thank you SO much for reading and writing about TOUCH!
OOOOH adding The Villain Edit to my TBR for spring break in FL next week 👀
Felt the same as you about The Correspondent, Broken Country, AND Touch! Will you be at Belle Burden event in May!?