books are taking over my life
in a good way!
Life Updates Lately!
In exciting bookish news, I have joined Logue Social — a social media agency for authors. The high level rundown is we work directly with our clients to develop a personal brand, create and curate content, and grow reader engagement across all platforms. Don’t be surprised if my Logue partner, Morgan, guest stars in some of these newsletters going forward.
If you or an author you know is looking for some social media support, please do not hesitate to reach out 💜
Do you live in LA? If so, you’re invited to join for a Book Club Walk with Reese’s Book Club author, Lauren Ling Brown. If you don’t live in LA, you’re still invited and you should probably rearrange your schedule to fly out here for it. Just saying…There will be coffee and a trip to the bookstore and book signings! I can’ wait! If you can make it, please RSVP here.
Reading Lately
Dark academia, vampires, witches, cozy romances, witty mysteries… my October reading has really been delivering on the fall vibes.
📖 Weyward by Emilia Hart — our Reading Lately Book Club October read. This book was at once heartbreaking, infuriating, and empowering. I think it’s a lot heavier than the blurb suggests, not in a bad way, but just be mindful going in that it isn’t a witchy light read. TW: SA
📖 Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown — I listened to the audiobook of this dark academia thriller and enjoyed it so much! I mean, obviously, I’m now planning a whole book club walk surrounding it (see above). The narrators were terrific, so if you like audiobooks, you’ll like this one. It is quite dark, but set at Princeton, so it really delivered on the east coast fall vibes I’ve been missing.
And then I was fortunate enough to attend the Cozy Girl Cafe Reese’s Book Club x Panera Bread event where we got to hear Lauren Ling Brown discuss the book. Tap below to watch more.
📖 Fang Fiction by Kate Stayman-London — if you like vampire stories like Twilight or Buffy, or just fan fiction in general, this book is for you! Beyond a paranormal romance, it explores the ways in which escapism helps with processing and healing from trauma. TW: SA
📖 What Does It Feel Like by Sophie Kinsella — if you want a crying book, this is the one! It’s a (mostly) autobiographical novella and reading it feels like a punch in the gut. It’s the kind of book that makes you reevaluate what you’re doing with your life in the best way.
📖 You, Again by Kate Goldbeck — I’m always skeptical of books billed as a contemporary When Harry Met Sally, but this rom com really did deliver on the gender swapped WHMS vibes (if WHMS was wayyyyy more sexual.) It’s a fun read, though in this case I would advise against the audiobook, because the narrator mispronounced some Jewish food and it did kind of drive me nuts.
📖 Till There Was You by Lindsay Hameroff — one of my favorite romance books of the year! As a Jewish musical theater girl, like the FMC Lexi Berman, I am CLEARLY the target audience for this book. But even if you aren't, its so charming it would be impossible not to fall in love with.
📖 Once More With Feeling by Elissa Sussman — rom coms with Jewish characters who love musical theater is apparently the theme of my late October reading and I’m not mad about it. Switching between a summer camp setting and the workshop for a broadway show, this was right up my alley.
📖 Murdle: The School of Mystery by GT Karber — My favorite logic puzzle book is back with a new edition. Last week, I attended a Murdle live event where the puzzle came to life. Like at a murder mystery party, we had to talk to different characters to get clues and solve who did it. I would go to 100 more events like this. It was fabulous.
Watching Lately
Does it count if I say I’ve been watching clips of Tom Blyth on set as Alex in the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation? I was skeptical of this casting at first, I’ll admit, but I am now FULLY on board. And a reread is absolutely imminent.
With only four cities left of The Eras Tour (😭) I am pretty much glued to the weekly grainy live streams. The amount of joy this tour has brought me over the last two years is immeasurable, and I want to soak up every last drop of it.
What We Do In The Shadows is back for its final season! So far I have only watched the first episode (they dropped three at once!) but I cannot wait to keep watching. It’s as funny as ever.
The Severance Season 2 Tailer dropped yesterday, and I need it to be January already! If you never watched season one on Apple TV+, you’ve got time and you’re going to want to get caught up.
That’s all for now! Thank you for reading The Lately! As always you can find me on Instagram and TikTok.
xx,
Samantha Dockser
So excited for the book club walk with Lauren Ling Brown!
Can’t wait for the book walk!! 💕💕👟🤗