Kimberlee K.

It’s time for another round of favorites!

Spring is making me feel ALIVE and honestly so are these finds from the last two months.

Here’s all the good stuff:

Books

My sister recommended None of This is True by Lisa Jewell to me and it did not disappoint! I often find it difficult to read thrillers/mysteries, especially with physical books because I get very impatient and jump my eyes down the page for spoilers, but I listened to this on audio and it was so fun. It follows a podcaster who crosses paths with a woman who shares the same birthday as her and it takes you on an absolutely wild ride from there.

You Are Here by David Nicholls follows two down on their luck people who meet on a hiking trip in the English countryside after being invited by the same friend.  I thought it captured the intimacy of a hiking trip very well—the way you can accidentally talk about everything with someone when you’re out in the middle of nowhere for days at a time. It was so sweet and funny. I loved it.

I don’t know what I can say about Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins that everyone else hasn’t already said, but I’ll tell you, I will read absolutely anything she writes, especially in the Hunger Games universe. I was truly in awe of the way she tied everything together, and I’ve been rewatching the movies to see the tiny details that have so much more context now. Damn you (and bless you!) Suzanne!

And finally, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. One of my goals for this year is to read all of her books and this one has officially claimed the top spot so far. In short, it is about a family and a house and how, as the family is pulled together and ripped apart, the house is always there, for better or for worse. It’s one that makes sense to me in a way that’s kind of hard to explain. I have a thing about houses and the way I believe they hold parts of us, so this felt like someone could see into my brain in the coziest of ways.

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Podcasts

It’s been a while since I had a podcast recommendation! I’d been sticking to my old faithfuls and hadn’t really found one the gripped me until I found Good Hang with Amy Poehler. Having been a fan of Amy Poehler for a long time, I was already excited. But I have been so pleasantly surprised by how great all the interviews are. They are upbeat and encouraging and can always make me laugh, and the guests are so fun! My favorite so far was this one with Rashida Jones.

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TV Shows

The latest season of Severance came up in about every corner of media I consume, so when I got a call from my brother asking if I was watching, I decided that I had to start. It centers around a corporation that allows people to separate their work and home life through a brain surgery called “Severance.” This in turn creates two versions of a person, their “outie” (the person living in the outside world) and their “innie” (the person at work). Admittedly, even though I’m caught up, I still have about 78 questions about what the hell is going on (re: the goats). But I’m excited to see where they take it next season. (find it on AppleTV+)

I also loved Pulse (Netflix) which felt like a bite sized Grey’s Anatomy. I’ve always liked medical dramas because I like learning about medicine, but I can grow fatigued by the soapy romantic drama that comes hand in hand. This show seemed to toe the line pretty well, and more importantly, it reawakened my medical drama fixation, as immediately after finishing, I started The Pitt (Max). The Pitt is set in the emergency room, and the 15-episode season chronicles a single 15-hour shift. It made everything very intense, and (from my limited knowledge) did well at putting you in the shoes of an emergency doctor, showing how quickly they have to assess a situation, and how chaotically they are pulled from one patient to the next, all while the waiting room gets more and more hostile with impatient people.  Never has a show confirmed that a career path was not for me, but it gave me a lot more respect for those that do that every day.

And finally, Paradise. This is a hard one to describe because the central plot is part of the twist in the very first episode. So my quick summary would be, presidential secret service with a sinister mystery afoot. I was hooked from episode one.(find it on Hulu)

I also loved (was shocked/horrified/made speechless by) season three of White Lotus (Max), was crushed by season two of 1923 (Paramount+), and really enjoyed season three of Full Swing (Netflix).

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Movies

Last Breath had me near doubled over in my seat with nerves. It’s described as a “survival thriller” that follows deep sea divers as they attempt to rescue a teammate, and to make matter worse (better? crazier?) it’s a true story. Definitely worth the watch. Also, mark this down as another career that is definitely not for me.

Novocaine was perhaps the funniest and most gory movie I’ve seen in a long time. It follows Nathan, a man diagnosed with CIPA (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis)—now that I think of it, THIS might be what awakened my medical hyper fixation—as he attempts to save his girlfriend after a robbery. I saw one review describe it as “ruthless” and it definitely IS in terms of violence. There were audible gasps and groans in the theater, which honestly made it even funnier, but take care if you are squeamish, it’s…a lot. (find it in theaters)

And finally, The Life List. As soon as I saw the trailer for this movie I knew I would love it. It tells the story of Alex who, after the death of her mother, is tasked with checking items off her childhood bucket list before she can collect her inheritance. It is the perfect mix of funny, tender, and sweet. Plus, Kyle Allen is in it, which for me is always a win. (find it on Netflix)

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Music

Far From Here by John Splithoff

MAYHEM by Lady Gaga

Whirlwind by Laney Wilson

The Crux by Djo

Rise Up by CAIN

Townies by X Ambassadors

BONUS: My favorite Spotify station lately has been Forest Frank Radio

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YouTube & Social Media

On YouTube, I’ve really been loving Sammy’s videos. I just love watching people do hair. I find it both relaxing and utterly fascinating, and I like how she explains different techniques and strategies and talks about her clients in such a positive way.

And on Instagram, I’ve been loving @alexxhinson’s photographs. Every time they pop up in my feed, I gasp. He might singlehandedly be fueling my wanderlust right now.

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Newsletters & Devotionals

Loved this issue of On Things that highlighted 15 favorites.

This post from Grace Leuenberger really spoke to my heart.

As did this post from Jami Attenberg on Craft Talk.

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Food & Recipes

I have already made and remade this Sheet Pan Maple Pecan Salmon recipe.

These snack waffles from Trader Joe’s have become an automatic *add to cart*.

A friend had these Lay’s Sweet Potato Poppables out as a snack on a Sunday afternoon and I made a pitstop on the way home to get my own.

And I finally tried the viral cottage cheese, sweet potato & beef bowls and YES, they live up to the hype.

Oh also, Halo-Top Mix-ins! YUM.

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Misc

Goods Puzzle: Sort Challenge. I saw someone mention this iPad game on social media and become completely addicted to it. Yes, it is a game about sorting shelves. And yes, I have convinced myself I’m clocking in each night to make the world a more organized place. And I feel good about that. (find it in the app store)

And finally, the Bend app. I have been trying to do more concious stretching and this has lots of good routines to stretch out different parts of your body. All the stretches are timed and have animated examples and I’ve found it super helpful! Personally, I think the free version is enough, but if you used it every day and wanted variety I’m sure the paid version would be worth it. (find it in the app store)

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See my previous favorites post here.