Click. Read. Love. 2.28.25

In my adult life, I have never gone away for more than a few days without my computer. Maybe this is normal? But for as long as I can remember, I’ve traveled with my computer because, you just never know. This inevitably led me to “check a few emails” and “do a little work” despite the fact that I should not be doing those things because how often do we actually take time off in the first place? Not very often.

So, I decided to leave my laptop at home during the precious 4 days I have with my family in a warm place. In fact, I wrote this newsletter several days ago, before I left, so I could be fully present and not “just check a few emails”.

I’ve included some of my usual recs, but for this edition of Click. Read. Love. I’ve asked some of my favorite writers to share what they’re reading, watching, and recommending right now. I hope you enjoy.

Also, ICYMI, I did two interviews recently: I chatted with for her newsletter Morning Person about doing a no buy year, what self-care looks like when you’re not shopping, and finding happiness. I also spoke with about why I left influencing, what I miss about it, and what I don’t.

Thank you so very much for reading and subscribing to this newsletter. You’re supporting an independent writer, and that’s pretty awesome.

From me:

Does the news have you feeling completely overwhelmed? Here’s how to cope. (Scientific American)

Did you know Goodreads is owned by Amazon? Nadia Odunayo created StoryGraph, a competitor to Goodreads, and its popularity is skyrocketing. (The Guardian)

From Marion Teniade of :

Right now it feels especially important to engage with independent journalism, so I'm sharing one of my favorite outlets: Hammer & Hope, a Black politics and culture magazine with a brilliant editorial team.

From Leslie Stephens of :

Haley Mlotek wrote the memoir No Fault in part to understand the unraveling, and divorce, that followed her own decade-long relationship. In her book (which came out this week!), she explores marriage with an intimate reverence while also pointing to the flourishing that can come from divorce, particularly for women. Read if you love Jia Tolentino, with a highlighter in hand.

From Clara of :

Fran Hoepfner on the newest installment of Bridget Jones, which I adored: "It’s a romantic comedy that asks, Does getting the guy do anything to prevent the slow and inevitable march of time or cruelty of the world? Well, no! The film is mostly about getting on with life which I find, time and time again, to be a much more interesting plot than many."

From Olivia of :

I can't stop telling people to pre-order Charlotte McConaghy's upcoming novel WILD DARK SHORE. The novel is brimming with emotion and the most vivid descriptions of nature. The story centers around the Salt family, who live on a remote island/research base near Antarctica. When a woman mysteriously washes ashore, they all have to work together to care for her — and to figure out why she's there. There were times my eyes were skipping to the end of a paragraph or page because I had to know what happened. It's one of the best reading experiences I've had in years, and manages to explore big themes (having kids/the fate of the world in the face of climate change, etc.) all while pulling off break-neck twists and turns.

From Elena of :

I've been reading old profiles lately. This 1950 profile of Ernest Hemingway in The New Yorker, written by Lillian Ross, is a masterclass for any writer interested in doing profiles.

From Victoria of Well So Yeah:

I discovered the novel Homeseeking by accident on my local library's "Lucky Day" shelf, a special area where they store highly sought-after books for a day or two before they get released to the next person on the hold list. Written by debut novelist Karissa Chen, the story follows the lives of Haiwen and Suchi—childhood friends, lovers, soul mates—who are separated by war, circumstance, and luck. Their paths weave together and apart, and since the story is told from alternating viewpoints and timelines—Haiwen's starts in the present and moves back, while Suchi's begins in the 1930s and moves to the present—their journey is full of surprises, near misses, and revealed secrets. The story was so good, so sweeping, so immersive, I happily bought a copy for keeps. Besides, sending it back to the library meant someone else got their lucky day with this beautiful book.

From Rufina of :

Not all book to movie adaptations are great. Honestly, most rarely are. So I had low expectations for The Nickel Boys film, but the way it was directed completely surprised me. It was one of those movies that I grew into as I watched, and by the end, I really appreciated not just how they adapted the story, but also the incredibly creative art direction. The story itself is chilling but powerful, and the film did it justice. So worth both the read and watch!

From me:

Blink is an absolutely wild podcast about a guy named Jacob who is handed a death sentence with a terminal disease and 6 months to live. As he lays in the hospital in a coma, everyone thinks Jake is no longer in there, but he is actually fully conscious. New episodes drop every Sunday, there’s currently four. Prepare to be hooked.

If you live in RI (especially Newport County) the store Matriarch is doing a bake sale event with all proceeds going to Planned Parenthood on Saturday, March 8.

My scalp has been an absolute wreck and my usual shampoo wasn’t cutting it so I resorted to trying this scalp scrub and it was a complete game changer. I almost never purchase beauty products anymore but I am very happy with this one.

The two books I brought with me: The Parent’s Tao Te Ching and Braiding Sweetgrass. I found them used on eBay!

Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed this newsletter please give it a 💖 below, and share it with your friends.