note #5: august 2024
I've missed you, have you missed me?
Dear friends,
It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I sincerely apologize for the radio silence since last year—last year?!—but a few life changes required my attention and this newsletter accidentally fell to the wayside. I’ve tried to stay moderately active on Instagram, so be sure to give me a follow over there if you’d like even more books and adventures.
I’m excited to get back into the swing of things with this newsletter and try out new formats. Thank you for your patience in the meantime! Before I go, here are some of my recent obsessions—I hope you discover a new favorite along the way.
Lots of love,
DJ
BOOKS
The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole: I’d had my eye on this book and series for quite some time and finally took the plunge earlier this month. Suffice to say, I quickly became enamored and just deeply obsessed. It’s a slow burn romantasy with stunning plot twists and developments, engaging (and diverse!) characters, and a romance that genuinely made me giggle. If you like Throne of Glass and Crescent City and lots of banter, this one’s for you!
Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood: I’m a Hazelwood lover through and through—Levi, I love you—but it took me a little bit to finally pick up her YA novel, Check & Mate. I didn’t really know what to expect and I was blown away! I think this is one of her best books yet and I was surprised by how much I was loving the chess aspects. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how much the chess would be “shown” on the page as I’m used to reading sports romances where the sport isn’t shown much, ya know? Anyway, all the stars to this one.
The Kiss Countdown by Etta Easton: A hot astronaut? Yeah, sign me up. Plus, this has one of the cutest covers I’ve ever seen and the story inside is even cuter.I read this one back in April and had a blast—pun intended. Amerie and Vincent are such lovely characters who experience so much growth over the course of the story. Their meet cute is Hollywood-worthy and their ensuing romance is full of heart and spice. Throw in some family drama and there’s plenty to keep you hooked from start to finish. I’me excited for Etta’s next book, The Love Simulation!
And here are some books I’ve recently added to my TBR pile, which is more like a mountain at this point…
MUSIC
Laura Alden showed up in my Discover Weekly playlist and I immediately fell in love. Her music reminds me of autumn and winter days, and if you like Ingrid Michaelson’s older work, Gabrielle Aplin, and the like then you’re in for a treat.
I don’t quite remember where I first heard “Folding”—it might’ve been via a TV show—but either way it’s such a beautiful song and I love this live performance! One of the comments on this says it’s a song that “instantly speaks to your soul” and I couldn’t agree more.
OTHER NEWSLETTERS TO LOVE
Looking for more newsletters to make your inbox even more lovely? I highly recommend Literary Leanings and Story Shed from Kristen Ciccarelli!