Happy last week of August! Raise your hand if you cannot WAIT for fall (*raises both hands enthusiastically*). Give me all the warm drinks, cozy sweaters, soft blankets, crisp air, and pretty leaves. Speaking of fall, my bff Katie (formerly of @thebooklyclub, currently of @shecoversbooks) and I are going to go live on September 1 and it might have something to do with fall, so mark your calendars! 🗓️
As some of y’all know, last week was a bit stressful for me both due to a busy season at work and a (very) disappointing doctor’s appointment. So this week is all about being gentle with myself and nourishing my spirit (which feels hard to do in this already difficult time in our country and world). What does that look like for me?
Going to bed at a decent hour (or sleeping in if I need to)
Making sure I eat breakfast and take my morning pills (which have to be taken with fatty food)
Moving my body, whether that’s a slow walk around the block or an intense Peloton ride
Drinking water, and then drinking some more
Making my environment cozy (straightening up, bringing out my softest blanket, lighting a candle, putting on an ambience rooming, setting a timer on the Forest app)
What are some things you do to take care of yourself?
What I’m reading…
Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad – I’d been eager to read this one since I first heard about it (I wish I could remember where) but as with any book that focuses on someone’s illness, I was a little nervous it would hit too close to home. While there were things I could relate to, Jaouad’s experience with cancer in her very early 20s was different enough that it wasn’t too hard for me to read. The first half of the book discusses the road to her diagnosis and the years she spent being sick and undergoing treatment. The second half was about life in remission and how complicated it can be to re-enter society after living so close to death. (This was really good on audio.) If you’re interested in reading Jaouad’s story, give this NPR interview a listen. For fans of Sick by Porochista Khakpourand and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
Bookshop | AmazonMy Oxford Year by Julia Whelan – Each month I’m having my husband pick out a book from my unread shelf for me to read that month, and if I don’t read it then it goes in my donate pile (I borrowed this idea from my favorite reading buddy \, @booknerdnative). This was his pick for August and he did a great job! I read it immediately, and really enjoyed it. Although it was much heavier than I thought it would be, I did have a heads up thanks to others’ reviews. (So be sure to look up content warnings if you’re worried about the subject matter.) I loved the setting (Oxford, obviously, but also a little bit of Scotland), the chemistry between the characters, and the overall storyline. For fans of One True Loves by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon.
Bookshop | Amazon
Latest book purchases…
I WAS on a book-buying ban, until yesterday when I decided to treat myself to a few. But from now until my birthday (September 26) I’ll be making a list of any books I’m tempted to purchase and will reassess which ones I actually want to buy for myself.
When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister – I saw this was one of @the.chelsea.chapters’ favorite books of the year and decided to add it to my shelf because it sounds right in my wheelhouse. (Also, if you don’t follow Chelsea, she’s one of my newest favorite follows.)
Bookshop | AmazonUndercover Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams – When I asked the other day what romance I should read from my shelves, MANY people said The Bromance Book Club, so I decided to get the second in the series so I’m ready for it when it’s time. (Don’t worry, I’ve added books three and four to my birthday list.)
Bookshop | AmazonMidnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber – This has been on my wish list for a long time so when a local follower (and one of my book twins) said she absolutely LOVED it, I knew I needed to own a copy.
Bookshop | Amazon
Books on my preorder list…
Since my Release Love edition of the newsletter will now be monthly, I’m cutting out this section BUT, stay tuned to your inbox because I’ll be sending out September’s Release Love on 9/7.
Podcasts I’m loving…
Book Talk Etc. – This relatively new book podcast is hosted by Tina of @tbretc and Renee of @itsbooktalk and comes out weekly.
Book Riot – Another book podcast, but more about the book and publishing industries, rather than specific books or recommendations.
Still Drama Queens. I can’t stop. I look forward to it every week. Plus it’s forcing me to take my (second) rewatch of One Tree Hill very slowly.
Things I’m loving…
Mayfield Creamery Orange Cream bars + Skinny Pop popcorn
The Alley of Ambience (on YouTube)
Zapp’s Kettle Chips, Voodoo (how did I not try these until now?!)
What I’m watching…
The White Lotus on HBO – Mike and I just finished watching this last night and WOW. I’m still digesting that finale. (If you’ve watched it, I’d love to discuss.)
The Kissing Booth (1 & 2) on Netflix – Katie suggested I watch the first one after my disappointing doctor’s appointment and I immediately devoured it, and then the second one. If you liked the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movies, you’ll like these, but with a little more PG13. (Apparently there’s an audiobook that continues the story!)
Links I’m clicking…
The Millions: The Great Second-Half 2021 Preview – This (and the first half) is one of the books lists I look most forward to.
NYTimes piece on Taylor Jenkins Reid – TJR is one of my favorite authors and at the top of my list of auto-buys. This is a fascinating peek behind the scenes of her writing.
The Enduring Appeal of Fictional Sisters via LitHub – As someone who has a sister, I’ve always been interested in stories about the sister relationship and added a couple of these to my wish list.
Strong Sense of Place: Scotland – Ever since taking a trip to Scotland in 2018 I’ve been dreaming about going back. And that means reading allllll the books I can find that take place there. (Let me know if you have any recommendations!)
Robin DiAngelo and the Problem with Anti-racist Self Help via The Atlantic – I read White Fragility a while ago, and while it helped me see things I hadn’t before in the ways I contribute to racism in our society, it’s always bothered me that a white woman is profiting off of that work. Other books by Black women that I’d highly recommend instead or in addition to: So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo; Hood Feminism by Mikki Kendall; Eloquent Rage by Brittney Cooper; and I’m Still Here by Austin Channing Brown.
What to Do With Our Covid Rage via The New York Times – I have a lot of Covid rage these days, and while reading this didn’t rid me of it, it made me feel a little less alone.
What I listened to while writing this newsletter: Maggie Rogers Radio on Spotify
Other ways to support me…
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