Everything I Read in Spring

I am having a great time with books lately, here are some I recommend

Scheduling update: After writing about whatever I wanted for many, many posts here…I think I would like some semblance of order. I will try to aim for categories per week, such as: reading and/or writing related, style + shopping recs, mom and family real talk, design dump, and a bimonthly “Women with Cool Jobs” series. With a miscellaneous post thrown in once awhile. Let’s see how long I stick to it! To kick it off, here is this month’s reading and/or writing related post!

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My Favorite Past-time and Only Passion

Someone once asked me, “If you couldn’t write again, would you be devastated?”

Um, absolutely not lol. Sorry to my profession, but writing isn’t what gives me life. Reading, though? That’s another story. If I couldn’t read again, I’d hurl myself off a cliff. Reading is my first true love, and it’s what made me a writer. My hot take is that you simply cannot call yourself a writer if you don’t read.

Even when I am at my busiest, I make time for reading. That often means sacrificing sleep and saying no to plans. In the Spring, especially, my favorite weekend activity is setting up a camping chair in my driveway, under the Chinese elm, and reading for hours in the sunshine.

Mother’s Day perfection.

This Spring, I got through a lot of books. Not only did my busy life season calm down, but I did some travel that allowed for some good plane and vacation reading. And being sick for a couple weeks forced me to rest and truly indulge. I’ve also delved back into listening to nonfiction on audio, which is what I think the medium was truly made for.

Best plane read after getting my face lasered off in Korea.

Here’s what I’ve read and enjoyed, in case you are looking for a rec. Grab yourself a coffee and warm patch of sun…

Finally caught up on two buzzy books—The Wedding People by Alison Espach and Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash. The voices in these were A+ and thoroughly enjoyed myself when I needed the humor and joy. While I was sick, I wanted to read something kind of moody and thoughtful, and finished The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes in a day. Beautiful and strangely intense for a quiet story. While I was still sick, I just moved right on to The Dutch House by Ann Patchett and it was like slipping into a warm blanket of a world. The siblings, the house, the Pennsylvania of it all. Love. Currently I am reading New Skin by Sarah Wang, a book sent to me by her publisher and I am freaking riveted. Asian mom stuff + botched plastic surgery + reality show? Sign me up.

One of my most anticipated reads this year was Seek the Traitor’s Son by Veronica Roth and holy shit it didn’t disappoint. It just came out last week and if you are into Blade Runner, sexual tension, and a smidge of timey wimey, this is the book for you. I also finally read The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley and it was such a rollicking ride?? As you can see…I love time travel-anything and this book was so hilarious and weird and intense in all the best ways. I get the hype. Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park has also been on my radar for freaking ever and this epic journey through modern Korean history (both real and inventively alternative) is already kind of blowing my mind just a few chapters in.

You know an author event was brilliantly programmed when you leave wanting to read every single book presented. Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser was the first one I picked up as I was flying back home from said event and was so swept up in the heart-breaking retelling of Cinderella told from the POV of the fierce and compelling stepmother. Then I immediately chased that with This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum, a mystery set in the world of podcasting right in my neighborhood of Northeast Los Angeles. It was a true page turner in the vein of Gone Girl.

Another hotly anticipated book this year was Once and Again by Rebecca Serle. Rebecca is a huge reason why I ventured into the adult fic space, her magical yet very grounded love stories are some of my favorite books ever. Similarly, I was so amped to read an early copy of Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan. Annabel’s wry and, dare I say, mature characters are a huge inspiration for me as well, and I am so excited to be in conversation with her for her LA launch in a couple weeks! I rounded out my romance reads this season with And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Philips and The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez. Both authors are auto-buys for me. Pure warmth, humor, and happiness in book form.

BROS. Nonfic was on fire this season. Who was not talking about Strangers by Belle Burden and Famesick by Lena Dunham? I admit I started both with morbid curiosity (and skepticism) about these privileged women but left the reads with such respect and tenderness for both of them. Books are magic in that way you know? Speaking of magic, I am now listening to London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe¹. I will read anything this man writes after my life was forever changed by Empire of Pain. This book, like all his others, presents a news story as an inciting incident to delve into a much bigger story—in this case, the criminal underbelly of modern London. The intrigue, it is immediate.

I hope you leave this post wanting to throw away all your life’s responsibilities to run to your nearest library or indie bookstore. See you there.

x M A U X

1. I met him at a signing a couple years ago and, as an author myself, was mortified by how I lost my cool completely and babbled on and on until his eyes got big and scared. Sigh.