Kimberlee K.

Hello, friends. We’re back with another edition of favorites!

Didn’t we just do one of these?

Is this year going 75 in a 35 and should be pulled over for speeding?

Did that comparison make sense?

Anyway.

Here’s what we’ve got.

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Podcasts

To my absolute delight, my brother recently recommended The Lonely Island & Seth Meyers Podcast. My friends and I LOVED the SNL digital shorts in the 2000’s and 2010’s, so it is such a treat to hear them breakdown the origin of each one, and hear some history of each episode they appeared in. If you’re an SNL fan, this is definitely for you, but it’s also just fun to hear real life friends chat and reminisce.

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Books

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Emily Henry is the queen. And her latest release, Funny Story, only adds to that belief. It follows Daphne, who gets dumped by her fiancé and moves in with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancé’s ex-boyfriend, Miles—a sentence that is confusing, yes, but also makes sense when you break it down. I loved Emily’s signature banter and charm, but was surprised by how much I related to one of the characters and felt seen in a way I didn’t know needed.

Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle follows (ironically) Daphne, who ever since she was young received pieces of paper at the start of each of her romantic relationships, letting her know exactly how long it will last. The book starts when she receives, for the first time, a piece of paper with no ending date. It is a fast-paced, fun read that I loved!

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Movies

Challengers felt like one of those movies that everyone was seeing because everyone was so curious what was going to happen. I was excited to see it in a full theater with people who all gasped, laughed, and cringed at the same time I did. I loved the way it tied tennis to a series of toxic relationships, and the way it made you question who the villain was (if there was only one.) (currently only available for purchase)

Unsung Hero tells the true story of the Smallbone family, who, after losing everything, move from Australia to the United States to pursue a new life. It is an inspiring story of faith, family, and perseverance, and as a For KING + COUNTRY fan, it was exciting to see the story of where they came from—and to learn more about their incredible family. (currently only available for purchase)

I read Turtles All the Way Down when it came out in 2017, so I was excited to hear it was being made into a feature film. It tells the story of Aza, a teenage girl struggling with OCD, who gets reacquainted with an old friend as they search for his father who has gone missing. It is a harrowing portrayal of the daily struggles of OCD, and an emotional story of friendship. I thought the movie adaptation was great! (find it on Max)

And finally, on a recent lazy Sunday I turned on Lion, which came out in 2016 and has been on my to-watch list ever since. When I tell you I wept—happy tears, but tears nonetheless. It tells the true story of five-year-old Saroo who gets lost on a train and is taken thousands of miles from his home and family. Eventually, he’s adopted by a family in Australia, but he never forgets his family in India and goes on a journey to find them. Such a powerful movie! (find it on Amazon Prime)

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TV Shows

In another book to screen adaptation, The Tattooist of Auschwitz hit Peacock in May. It was a hard watch, offering one of the rawest portrayals of the Holocaust concentration camps that I’ve seen, but one that, like the book and source material, also offers a lot of hope. I thought it did well to honor both the book and the way in which the book was written. (find it on Peacock)

I have never played the video game that Fallout is based on, but I thought the new Amazon Prime adaption was a fun watch! It drops you 200 years after a nuclear event wiped out most of the world’s population. As can be expected, people are desperate, mean, and selfish, just trying to survive in the half-world, half-wasteland, with a clear divide between people living underground in “the vaults” and those living above ground on “the surface.” (find it on Amazon Prime)

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Music

Radical Optimism by Dua Lipa

HIT ME HARD & SOFT by Billie Eilish

Honeymind by Ben Platt

What Are We Waiting For? + by for KING & COUNTRY

Timeless by Meghan Trainor

Good Together by Lake Street Dive

The Secret of Us by Gracie Abrams

LOOM by Imagine Dragons

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Newsletters & Devotionals

Book Enthusiast is a Substack by Bad on Paper host Becca Freeman that offers a fun mix of book recommendations, essays, and deep dive listicles on what to shop for. It’s always a fun, quick read! (find it here)

The Weekly One is a Christian newsletter that, each week, offers one Bible verse, one quote, and one question, all aimed to have you pause, reflect, and feel inspired. (find it here)

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Food & Recipes

I have been loving these freezer cauliflower rice & black bean burritos. The recipe makes about 7-8 burritos, and they have become an easy Monday dinner staple for me. I just pop them in the microwave, and then crisp them up on my panini maker and they are delicious!

Also, this feta pasta went viral on TikTok a while back but I just made it for the first time recently and…wow.

And finally, this Greek yogurt + this granola has been my favorite breakfast lately!

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Have anything you’ve been loving over these last couple months? Let me know!

See my previous favorites post here.