Everything I read in October + other small delights.
Everything I read in October + other small delights.
Open for comfort, inspiration, and a little catch up.
Hi readers! It’s been what feels like a very long time since I wrote to you last— about 2 weeks. I had wanted to email you sooner, but the lead up to and day of (and after….) the election ended up feeling very nuts.
I don’t plan on sustaining this inconsistent writing cadence, but there’s nothing like a break, regardless of the circumstances, to get your batteries recharged a bit. I found myself overflowing with things to say to you today!
Before we dive in, thank you all for the kind words after I wrote about my (f)unemployment last week. I really do somehow feel busier than ever! Juggling a few clients, my ongoing efforts to TikTok my way through 30 Days of 30 Ina Garten Recipes, and regular life seems to have my cup overflowing. (In the best way!!)
I find myself increasingly drawn to audiobooks for their ease— I can listen while I cook or walk the dog. The narrator makes or breaks each read, but I have my favorite narrators, and you can always listen to a sample before committing. I think author-read memoirs are always great.
The Last Grand Duchess by Bryn Turnbull // I LOVED this audiobook— my favorite narrator is Mary Jane Wells, who I found because she narrates all Bryn Turnbull’s books. This is my second read by the same author and narrator (the first was The Woman Before Wallis), and I am actually currently reading listening to a third. They’re all historical fiction based on true events and characters. This one sent me into a Russian history tailspin, gobbling up every factoid I could. Some would say I was gripped. Like all Bryn Turnbull books, I find the beginning is slow and you sort of could care less about the different characters, details or the “who’s who” elude you— and then somehow you’re at the end, dying to go back and start over because you’re so invested now. I recommend pairing with a viewing of the Ipatiev House episode of The Crown.
The Wager by David Grann // A new(ish) book from the author of Killers of The Flower Moon, a book I loved (I don’t have much nice to say about the movie). I am not a sea-time novel girlie, and yet I loved this. I was fascinated. I didn’t stop talking about it for a week afterwards, I couldn’t get over how resilient the human spirit and body are… if you think you’re experiencing hard times, reading about this shipwreck will, um, divorce you of that notion, perhaps. You can get through it! This book is another one that’s completely made by its audiobook narrator— I tried to read on Kindle first, it was a slog. Don’t make that mistake too.
Be Ready When The Luck Happens by Ina Garten // What can I say about this book that hasn’t already been said!? I was lucky enough to go see Ina at the Brooklyn Music Academy in conversation with Frances McDormand (another legend!!!) and it was about as great as it sounds. If you don’t read a single book in this lineup, read this one. I’ve listened to it three times, and have structured my entire life around cooking a new recipe of Ina’s every day for 30 days, so…
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier // In the week leading up to Halloween I wanted to take on a new audiobook that was a little spooky, and I decided to revisit one of my old favorites of all time, Rebecca. Audiobook was the way to go here again, I had tried and failed to get into it on my Kindle. This is my first time reading Rebecca as a fully cooked adult— I don’t count viewing that abomination that Netflix called a movie adaptation— and I will say I viewed things…. differently. I quite adored it though. Is there a better, more iconic opening chapter, or even sentence?
Between my audiobook picks and my fiction choices, it’s clear I’ve mostly gravitated away from saucy beach reads or contemporary romance fiction and towards tales of… war? Oppression? Period pieces? I don’t think it’s a coincidence I chose these leading up to election month, and I actually think that viewing things through that lens— a history-driven one— has helped me process and plan for the future.
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali // This started slow for me and then was an unlikely page turner. I don’t know how non-Iranian people would feel about reading this book. It’s a familiar tale to me, reading books by authors my parents age who are still processing the revolution in their writing. But the book is beautiful and you feel the characters quite loudly, at least I did. I’d be curious what someone who had absolutely no skin in the game— no Farsi, no relatives in Iran, no family members who lived through those eras, no political affiliation— would think of this one.
Excavations by Kate Myers // Somewhat of a mystery taking place at an archaeological dig in Greece. Slow paced, funny but not in an on-the-nose or a laugh out loud way. It made me want to change my life and just go dig for broken pottery in Greece? A very distinct sense of time and place. Somehow this was blurbed by Amy Poehler…
The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore // Laurie Gilmore is a pen name that is, yes, inspired by Gilmore Girls. That should tell you everything you need to know about this Gilmore-ean cozy fall fiction, set in a fictional New England town in fall. I think it’s very funny I made that sweeping statement about history imbuing me with common sense, my reading shaping my perspective, only to close with The Pumpkin Spice Café, which has no bearing on my perspective whatsoever. (It did make me want to own a coffee shop and move to a small town and bake cinnamon rolls, though.)
A kind reader sent me some Sweety mochi to try and we have reached a fever pitch of Sweety mochi obsession in this household. At least one mochi a day. It’s incredibly dangerous. I will be keeping these STOCKED. Our favorites are the Vietnamese Coffee, the Matcha, and the Ube flavors.
I thought this piece on the internet’s moral superiority complex was so thought provoking and well done. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been spending more time on TikTok and part of why I hesitated slightly to do so is the sassy, self-assured, “I know best” tone that you get from commenters who want to tell you that your brown butter is not brown enough— I get that it’s great for engagement, it’s not great for my sanity. I choose sanity, and I haven’t been scared to tell commenters to fuck off or keep scrolling if they don’t think MY butter is brown enough…
I treated myself to two gorgeous pens at Goods for the Study, my favorite stationery store. I’ve been seeking a multi-compartment notebook (lined), and my friend Lisa has one from Paper Republic. I dream of the red leather, maybe with my name embossed in navy, but I can’t get past the price, even with 20% off. I have been thinking about this every day since I texted Lisa about it in July, evidence below.
Anyways, this is a desperate plea to my readers: do you have any good recommendations for multi-compartment or “section” lined notebooks? They do not have to be refillable or leather! Just sized to fit in a purse. I’d love to be able to journal, write to-dos and take work notes in the same notebook, but with separate zones for each of those arenas. For some reason, this has been hard to find!!
I was gifted this Black Lip Balm by a new-to-me brand, Finding Ferdinand, and had low expectations but have been delighted. It’s a very sheer wash of color, kind of like what I wish Clinique’s Black Honey was, it looks very chic and cool, and every time I’ve worn it lately I’ve gotten compliments or curious friends asking to try it out or use the tube themselves. That’s a great endorsement, I think, in a world full of (too many) lip products. I really like this one and think I might gift it as a stocking stuffer this year, packaging is very gift-y and festive without being childish.
Lastly, in case you missed it, here was my letter from 2 weeks ago, full of big life updates:
Looking for more reading content? Look no further! All my past book issues are stacked below.
Want this too!