What I Loved This Week (64)
I'm all about nordic noir, a perfect summer dress and teenage dramas this week
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📚What I Read and Loved
Blaze Me a Sun: This year I’m making a concerted effort to read books from authors around the world, and it has paid off and then some. There are so many brilliant authors that we don’t know about because our echo chamber is feeding us only American authors’ recommendations, and I am trying to change that. Do you have any recommendations? I’d love a list.
Anyway, about the book! It’s a Nordic noir, which is one of my favorite summer book genres. It’s a thrilling page-turner that has the added bonus of character development. There’s nothing better than the unraveling of a cop with demons, and in this novel, you get two of them.
In February 1986, the Halland police receive a call from a man who claims to have attacked his first victim. I’m going to do it again, he says before the line cuts off. By the time police officer Sven Jörgensson reaches the crime scene, the woman is taking her last breath. For Sven, this will prove a decisive moment. On the same night, Sweden plunges into a state of shock after the murder of the prime minister. Could there possibly be a connection?
As Sven becomes obsessed with the case, two more fall victim. For years, Sven remains haunted by the murders he cannot solve, fearing the killer will strike again. Having failed to catch him, Sven retires from the police, passing his obsession to his son, who has joined the force to be closer to his father.
Decades later, the case unexpectedly resurfaces when a novelist returns home to Halland amid a failed marriage and a sputtering career. The writer befriends the retired police officer, who helps the novelist—our narrator—unspool the many strands of this engrossing tale about a community confronting its shames and legacies.
📺 What I Watched and Loved
Maxton Hall: If there’s a teen romance drama on any streaming platform, you bet I’m watching. Maxton Hall is a great one. The romance is swoon-worthy, and the lead is very handsome. The prep school setting always does it for me in books and TV (Prime)
Quick-witted scholarship student Ruby unwittingly witnesses a secret at Maxton Hall. Arrogant millionaire heir James is determined to silence her, but their clash ignites an unexpected spark between them.
Disclaimer it’s in German (which I wasn’t expecting and I spent some time thinking someone had messed up with my dubbing preferences)
How to Date Billy Walsh: After I finished Maxton Hall, Prime recommended I watch this next, and I found it to be an entertaining teenage prep school British rom-com. Perfect for a self-care Sunday night.(Prime)
Follows a pair of childhood friends: Amelia and Archie. Archie has always kept his love for her a secret, but just as he builds up the courage to declare his feelings, Amelia falls for Billy Walsh, the new transfer student.
Dancing for the Devil:I love a good train wreck Netflix doc, and I enjoyed it as such, but I have SO many questions. If you watched, let’s discuss below. (Netflix)
🛍️ What I Bought and Loved
Affordable exercise dress alert! This Old Navy beauty arrived yesterday (MDW sale), and after trying it on, WOW! It’s everything you want in an athletic dress: flattering, supportive for the boobs, and it has shorts WITH POCKETS! I can’t wait to wear it.
💕 Micro-Joy
My daughter graduated Pre-K and she had the most adorable graduation ceremony at school. After the ceremony we went to get pancakes. She was over the moon and so were we.
✅ To do List
🐰 Rabbit Holes I Went Into
A deep dive on cutting your screen time in half via
A case for never dry cleaning your clothes
A life changing (YES, REALLY) Libby guide via
A round-up on renting clothes apps that I found thanks to
THE list of travel essentials from
(I also subscribed to the Substack after going thru the posts, so excited to start getting the content)
🧜🏼♀️ Articles and Bits I loved
A new generation of content curators (obvs this hits home)
Bad men behaving badly
A fascinating true crime long form article to bookmark for the weekend
The diminishing returns of having good taste
If you want a lobster roll this summer, it will cost you
😄 Free Happiness
👋🏼 Classifieds
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Old Navy has been so off my radar, but this spring I have regularly had my socks knocked off. Have they always been this good and I just forgot, or are they stepping up their game?!
I laughed so hard at the vacation personality link 😂👏 it’s totally me. Also loving your newsletter recs in this one and CANNOT wait for Beetlejuice!!