What Caught My Eye Online #53
Little free libraries, cozy fantasy, and more
Welcome to this week’s roundup.
My heart has been heavy these past few days as I think about the horrific fires in Los Angeles. I’ve had a hard time focusing on much else, even though I’m not in California or know anyone personally who’s been displaced. When life feels overwhelming, it becomes vital to my well-being to find things for which to be grateful and moments to celebrate. The list might be short, but my mental health is at its best when I aim for a thankful attitude. With that said, here are some things I’ve enjoyed over the past few days. Even the small stuff matters!
Lanolips balm. I picked up this strawberry balm over the weekend and it’s been a lifesaver for my dry lips. It’s super thick and smells delicious. It’s the perfect winter companion.
My Mellow Mood playlist. I love making and sharing playlists. I listened to Mellow Mood today at work and remembered how much I like it.
My “I love this” note. Last year, I started a list in my Notes app that chronicled random stuff I was enjoying. I included things like beauty products, TV shows, albums, and movies. I also listed less concrete things like conversations, moments, and meals. Jotting down special memories and things making me happy was such a wonderful yet simple exercise. I’m doing this again in 2025.
And now for this week’s links!
Laura Tremaine, a writer and podcaster I’ve followed for years, lives in Los Angeles. She wrote a powerful post about what the last week has been like for her and her family.
Here’s a beautiful, vulnerable, and encouraging post from Sarah Bessey that starts like this:
“Wipe your tears. Blow your nose. Dab the watery mascara under your eyes. Put down your phone. Big breath now, let it out even if it’s still shaky. Another breath.”
Here are 48 books by women of color to read in 2025.
The Millions recommends nearly 100 books for your winter reading. I always find great suggestions from them.
Barnes and Noble lists 15 new audiobooks to try this month.
Here are the books that defined 2024, according to Amazon.
This is an inspiring piece about how people in the Pacific Northwest have repurposed Little Free Libraries for things like baked goods, menstrual products, and dog toys. Community care is such a beautiful thing.
Lit Hub shares some literary TV and movie adaptations that are coming soon.
Some romance readers have become passionate activists.
Even though I’ve tried a few different titles, I’ve never finished a Jane Austen book. Despite my rocky history with Jane, I’m going to try reading Pride and Prejudice along with Haley Larsen and other readers. You can find more info here if you’re interested in participating.
I’m planning to read more poetry this year. If that’s a goal we share, check out this list of nine collections that build immersive narrative worlds.
If you’re wanting some eye-opening reads, NPR has you covered.
Cozy fantasy books have been extremely popular lately. Here are some suggestions from Anne Bogel.
Last week, Jason Carter delivered a moving eulogy for his grandfather, former President Jimmy Carter. You can watch it here or read the transcript. This part stood out to me:
“In the end, his life is a love story. And of course, it’s a love story about Jimmy and Rosalynn and their 77 years of marriage and service. As the song says, they were the flagship of the fleet. And rest assured that in these last weeks, he told us that he was ready to see her again. But his life was also a broader love story about love for his fellow humans, and about living out the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. I believe that that love is what taught him and told him to preach the power of human rights, not just for some people, but for all people. It focused him on the power and the promise of democracy, its love for freedom, its requirement and founding belief in the wisdom of regular people raising their voices and the requirement that you respect all of those voices, not just some.”
This New Yorker article looks at the messy situation between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in light of the #MeToo movement.
BuzzFeed shares the results of a recent study featuring teen girls. Reading the statistics about happiness and self-esteem made me sad. I want a better world for our kids.
So we’re not ending on a total downer, here are some books that will restore your faith in humanity. Several of these are on my TBR.
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What caught your eye this week? Did any of these links resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for being here!
Love a good lip balm suggestion. I'll look for Lanolips next time I'm at Ulta.
Your “I love this” note is genius. At dinner, my husband & I always share our favorite part of the day, but writing this kind of note gets at something different - more personal. Great suggestion, thank you!