What I’m Reading: Vol 120.

Hello darlings,

Here we are, in the full autumnal glory of fall. I hope the weather is as beautiful where you are as it is here! I’ve been having a fun fall so far and I hope you are too!

I have started a new little gig for Instore Magazine doing celebrity jewelry coverage. It’s super fun so far – I am one of two writers working on the project. Here are my first few posts on Quannah Chasinghorse at the Met Gala, Kate Hudson showing her sports team spirit, and the Kravis engagement ring. If you want more, you can see all of Instore’s celeb jewelry coverage here.

On a personal note, I love this time of year. I know, loving fall is so unique, right? But the crisp air just makes me want to take a deep breath of the soul.

I once had a teacher who made the whole class file outside to look at the sky on an October day. He told us to notice the shade of blue and said that it’s a color that only happens in October. He encouraged us to always remember to take a moment notice the October blue sky each year, because time speeds by more quickly than we’ll ever believe possible.

I didn’t realize it would be something I would remember almost 20 years later (!!!) but apparently it struck a chord with me. So take a minute today, my darlings, and go soak in that October blue sky. It won’t last long.

xoxo,
Becky

What I’m reading

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin. This book is SO CUTE. It’s about Hana Khan, a Muslim Canadian podcaster with radio dreams who works at her family’s restaurant, Three Sisters Biryani Poutine. Hana has always worked hard to be a good daughter and a supportive friend, but now she’s trying to figure out what she truly wants for her life – and what kind of relationship she wants to have with a mysterious online friend she can’t stop thinking about. Hana and her family also must question their role in their community when they become the targets of some racially-motivated acts of hate. It’s a coming of age and a love story, but the level of heat on the page is below PG-13. Genuinely heartwarming, with strong women characters.

Chance of a Lifetime by Kate Clayborn. This series! Okay, I read all three books in a rush, so I’m going to mention them all. This Contemporary Romance series follows a trio friends in the years after the three of them win the lottery. It’s not a Millionaires romance, because they don’t win enough money to be wildly wealthy, but it is enough for them to all change their lives to each pursue the deeply-held wish that each woman made when they found out they held the winning numbers. Book one is sweet and lovely, book two is searingly touching and gorgeous, and book three features a main character with a chronic illness that has a lot of overlap with my own health challenges, so reading it was unexpectedly personal for me. These are true Romance, so there are sex scenes, but this series is definitely on the very sweet and tender end of the romance spectrum.

Internets

A Brief Compendium of Mesmerising and Macabre Memento Mori. Perfect for #spookyseason.

10 Calming Creative Apps for Anxious Minds To De-Stress. I love this kind of thing and I can personally vouch for the Calm app, which is a favorite of mine. I love its bedtime stories for adults. Super relaxing.

Expect the unexpected: our run down of high jewellery 2021. This is The Jewellery Editor’s 2021 Trend Report and it has lots of cool things.

The Ancient Jewelry Market Has A Counterfeit Problem. This article on antique jewelry fakes from JCK Magazine has some quotes from yours truly.

The Parisian Poison Panic and Versailles’ Secret Witch Hunt. If that headline doesn’t intrigue you, we’re probably not friends in real life.

They were the world’s only all-female army. Their descendants are fighting to recapture their humanity. A really fascinating look at the real life Amazons.

Wildlife Photographer Captures Tiny Garden Frogs Using Flowers as Umbrellas. Just in case you needed to see something delightful today.

A Food Critic Reviews the Swedish Chef’s New Restaurant . Heeheehee. Heehee. https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/a-food-critic-reviews-the-swedish-chefs-new-restaurant

Book images via UnSplash. This post contains affiliate links.

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