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Happy Valentine’s Day! Before I get into what I’m reading & watching lately, I just have to say that it makes my heart so happy that you’re here and you allow me to spam your inbox with this little newsletter. Big thank you! I hope you were able spend today with people that brighten up your life, doing things that bring you joy.
I personally plan to spend this evening eating pasta, sipping wine, attempting to make soufflé (though I think it’ll most likely be an equally delicious chocolate mush), and binging the latest episodes of Love Island UK: All Stars (more on this below.)
Reading Lately
If there was ever a month to read the romance books on your TBR pile, February would be it! Definitely support your local bookstores if you can, but to make it easy, I have all my favorites linked and easy to order in my amazon shop.
Here’s what I’ve read and enjoyed so far this month…
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
Easily going to make my top 10 list of books I read in 2024, and probably one of my favorite books I’ve read in the last 5 years. I was so moved by this story. I teared up so many times while reading and fully sobbed through the last chapter. Not because it’s heartbreakingly sad (though trigger warning for suicide, depression, and grief) but because it hit me so hard in the feels. Books and libraries and the communities they build allow us the chance to know each other and ourselves so much better, and I will be recommending this book to anyone who will listen. If you loved Hello Beautiful, Tom Lake, The Measure, Remarkably Bright Creatures, or Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, you must read this book, too.
Cherish Farrah by Bethany C Morrow
This social horror was A LOT for me. It provides excellent commentary on both race and class, but it is violent both figuratively and literally, and I was not expecting the gore from the descriptions of the book I’d seen. So just know that going in. I’m glad I read it, but if I’d realized HOW gruesome it was, I might have skipped it. I’m not a horror girl.
The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers by Sarah Tomlinson
I had the privilege of discussing this book last night at Skylight Books in LA with author
after receiving an early copy.I love reading celebrity memoirs, but prior to reading The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers and chatting with Sarah, I had very little understanding of what goes into ghost writing these stories. I will never read one of these memoirs the same way again. Midnight Ramblers tells the story of ghostwriter Mari as she untangles the truth of a legendary rock band while crafting two tell-all memoirs. It’s gripping tale and a fantastic read for mystery and music lovers alike.
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The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Speaking of ghost written celebrity music memoirs, I finally listened to Britney’s audiobook, narrated by actress Michelle Williams. It is a deeply heartbreaking look into her life that I would say is absolutely worth a listen.
Nowhere Like Home by Sara Shepard
Earlier this month, I attended a brunch in Beverly Hills celebrating Sara Shepard’s latest adult thriller, Nowhere Like Home (out 2/20). Sara was joined in conversation by Caroline Kepnes (author of the You series. It was such a lovely afternoon and made even more special knowing just how much teenage me would have freaked out over it.
In 2006, when Shepard published her first Pretty Little Liars book, I was immediately hooked. To the point where after staying up too late reading the series, I would go on OG YouTube to watch fan edits of what we hoped might someday be a tv show. Her latest book takes toxic friendships to the next level with some fun, dark cult vibes, too.
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I’m just now starting our February Book Club book, Say You’ll Be Mine by Naina Kumar. Once you’ve read it, I’d love to know your thoughts! A reminder that Reading Lately Book Club is now on IG! Follow and tag us if you’re reading along.
Watching Lately
As I mentioned earlier, I am deep in the throws of the latest season of Love Island UK: All Stars. I am not a big reality tv girlie, but this show is my exception. I wish so badly I could look on X Twitter to see what the British public thinks of the whole Georgia S/Toby/Callum/Tom mess without spoiling something for myself. But alas, the US gets the show on a two week delay.
Curb Your Enthusiasm and Abbott Elementary are also both back and funny as ever.
My boyfriend and I finished watching The Americans, and to be quite honest, I’m still processing the finale. More than anything what I cannot stop thinking about is the image of Philip line dancing to Beyoncé’s TEXAS HOLD ‘EM. I just know he would love it.
I am still — slowly — making my way through this year’s Oscar films. Since I last checked in with you on this, I have watched Poor Things and The Holdovers and next on my list are American Fiction and Anatomy of a Fall.
I also attended the premiere of Madame Web. Not an Oscar film, but definitely a movie. I’ll leave it there.
Listening Lately
It’s a great time for the country/indie pop i-get-sad-sometimes girlies! Oh my goodness, I truly do not think I’m ready for all the music 2024 has in store. So far…
Kacey Musgraves dropped her new single, Deeper Well, ahead of her new album. Unsurprisingly, I’m obsessed. That same day, Maggie Rogers released her first single off her upcoming album, and Noah Kahan released Stick Season (Forever), and his new song Forever had me weeping in my kitchen.
During the Super Bowl, Beyoncé dropped two new singles ahead of her new album. TEXAS HOLD ‘EM has been on repeat since. AND during the Grammys, Taylor Swift announced her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, will be coming out in April, not to mention the THE ERAS TOUR FILM will be streaming on Disney+ on March 15th…you can see I’m overwhelmed (positive).
Wearing Lately
I have actually been consistently linking what I’m wearing on my LTK shop — something I have meant to for literal years — so if you ever see something on my Instagram and think hmm I do not hate it, you can check it out here.
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And as always, a couple discount codes for you…
Tavi Active — you can use discount code SAMANTHA for 20% off site-wide from Vooray, TAVI, and ToeSox, and code SAMANTHA30 for an additional 30% off sale items
Rent The Runway — you can use my code RTRCUR252EC4 for 40% off your first month