Kimberlee K.

I say this every time but…I found some really good stuff lately!!

Let’s get right into it.

Books

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley is a love story, but not an easy one. It’s hard to describe without giving away major plot points, but if you’re in a melancholy mood, this is a great pick. It’s beautifully written and I loved it!

You Between the Lines by Katie Naymon is about two poets who went to high school together but are shocked to find they enrolled in the same MFA program years later. I always love books about writers, because somewhere in the makeup of the characters I find little pieces of myself.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an automatic read for me, so when Atmosphere was released, it shot to the top of my to-read pile. It follows astronomer Joan Goodwin as she begins training with NASA in the 1980’s space program. After reading the last sentence, I burst into tears and was immediately so sad it was over.  

I also reread (a rarity for me) The Opposite of Loneliness by Marina Keegan, which I consider one of my favorite books of all time. It’s a collection of fiction and nonfiction published posthumously. Marina was so incredibly talented and died so young. I’m so sad the world was robbed of all the work she would have done, but this book is pretty special and I’m so glad it exists.

.

Podcasts

The Sanctuary SCV is produced by the church of the same name, and they upload their Sunday sermons in podcast format each week. I’ve been listening to them as a mid-week pick-me-up and have loved it.

And Broomgate is the story of a scandal that overtook the curling community back in 2015. A broom scandal, to be exact. It’s as charming and fun as it sounds, and I can’t help but describe it as the most Canadian thing I’ve ever listened to. (Positive connotation)

.

TV Shows

A few months back, my mom and I got to see a taping of an episode of Leanne in LA , so I was excited when the show was released in full on Netflix. It stars standup comedian Leanne Morgan, who is not only hilarious, but also reminds me so much of my grandmother’s best friend, so every time I listen to/watch her in anything I feel nostalgic and crack up laughing. (find it on Netflix)

I also started watching Outlander: Blood of My Blood, which is the prequel to the original Outlander series. It tells the story of Jamie and Claire’s (from Outlander) parents, and damn, it feels good to be back in the company of Scottish accents. (find it on Hulu)

And finally, Parks & Recreation. I watched *most* of this show when it first came out but wasn’t sure where I stopped. So I started over and I’m so glad I did! It is so funny and wholesome and wonderful. (find it on Peacock)

I also loved season 4 of The Bear!

.

Documentaries

While I didn’t watch any “new” documentaries this month, I loved season 3 of Tour de France: Unchained and am very sad it was their final season making it, and I’m loving season 2 of Quarterback. (find both on Netflix)

.

Movies

Sinners follows twin brothers, Smoke and Stack, both played by Michael B. Jordan, after they return home to Mississippi in the 1930s. It’s marked a horror film, mostly for the *supernatural element* but I was pleasantly surprised that it is scaredy cat approved.

I also watched Another Simple Favor, which is the sequel to 2018’s A Simple Favor. I rewatched the original to catch myself up, and it was fun to see where they took the characters. While I liked the plot of the first movie better, I specifically liked Anna Kendrick’s character more in the second one, as her sass is turned up to 10 and it made her extra fun.  

And finally, The Map that Leads to You. This is based on the book of the same name, which I haven’t read, but follows Jack and Heather who meet while traveling in Europe and decide to continue their trip together. It gave me warm fuzzies and wanderlust, so what more could I ask for?

.

Music

Growing Pains by Trousdale

All Things Light by Cam

BITE ME by Renee Rapp

Greetings from Your Hometown by Jonas Brothers

Honest Conversations by Katy Nichole

Still Pretty Good EP by Cory Asbury

.

Artists/Social Media

My algorithm is in such a good place right now, bringing me fun, inspiring content that makes the internet a little cozier to spend time on. Here are some of my favorite recent follows:

UpcycleX, @upcycleX – who, like their name suggests, upcyles thrifted clothes with new, fun designs.

Riley O’Neil, @sunriseceramics.co – who’s a very talented potter.

Lily, @bloopartt – who is currently doing a project where she paints through the entire color wheel.

Sabrina Bernstein, @sabbbbern – who sketches people from her fire escape. (I love her work so much I even brough this print to hang on my wall!)

Aran @nailsbyaran – who’s a very talented nail artist!

Carson @crustbycarson – who lives in New York and posts running vlogs.

Marco Gonzalez @themarcosgonzalez – who does impressions of Bad Bunny that kill me every time.

.

Links

I felt like I really needed the truth in this post from Hannah Connolly.

And I loved this piece about writing a novel.

This book excerpt about loving your body made me feel cozy.

.

Trader Joe’s Finds

Trader Joes Chocolate Chip cookie dough

Smore’s clusters

Pretzel buns

.

Misc.

I’ve found that when I use too much dry shampoo, it can become difficult to scrub it all out. Briogeo Scalp Revival Spray is an easy, pre-shower spray that makes my hair feel extra clean. (find it here)

If you’re in the market for a new word game, might I interest you in Waffle? It’s like the unscrambling, match-based cousin of Wordle. Plus, I like the Waffle puns. (find it here)

I’ve been in search of gentler skincare products and the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Exfoliating Cleanser has been a winner! I like a little exfoliant to help me feel like my face is actually clean, and this one isn’t rough on my skin. (find it here)

And finally, I was in the market for new jeans and decided to finally pull the trigger. I get a few Stitch Fixes each year and am always excited when any jeans from Just USA or Indigo Blue are in the box. So I decided to go straight to the source. I bought these and these from Just USA, and these from Indigo Blue. All of which are cozy, have stretch, and are my perfect size match!

---

See my previous favorites post here.