Hello frens! How have you been? Has the sun peeked out where you live? Have you been soaking up some vitamin D or are you already tired of it and wishing for clouds again?

Whatever your case, I salute you! I’ve spent most of this winter bundled up with my furry kids, trying to make sure they play fair and not scream like little banshees while I catch up on some reading.

One of the books I finally got to was Cackle. I meant to read it back in autumn (you know, for the vibes) but ended up diving into it in the middle of winter. Now it’s nearly spring, and here I am writing about it! Honestly, this one surprised me. I wasn’t expecting much (it did seem like a themed “autumn read”), but I actually loved it. I cackled here and there as I followed the protagonist coping with the quiet heartbreak of a long-term breakup while adjusting to life in a quirky small town. It’s an easy, breezy read with plenty of dry humor. I’ll definitely be picking up more from this author.

I also read Practical Magic. This one was also on my autumn list, but the tone is very different, more serious and spanning multiple generations of mystical women (yes, witches!). It reminded me a bit of Isabel Allende’s storytelling, that tender, magical realism that flows through family histories. The book follows three generations of women, centered mostly on two sisters, as they navigate life, love, and all the beautiful messiness that comes with embracing their true selves. It isn’t a linear story, which made it feel all the more organic. I loved it so much that I’m already reading the second book!

Then there was The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov. It had been years since I’d read anything by him, but my husband and I have a little book club, so we picked it up together. It took me a while to get into, it’s a bit Kafkaesque, with overlapping perspectives and absurd situations but once it clicked, I was hooked. The pacing is brisk, the ideas brilliant, and even though the ending fell a bit flat, I genuinely enjoyed the experience.

Also, I finished the last two books in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. I’d already watched the movie (which was very much entertaining), so I decided to skip the first novel for now, though I’ll probably circle back later. These books were a riot.

Even without being too familiar with Singaporean culture, I had such a fun time. The absurd luxury, chaotic family politics, and outrageous situations had me laughing and snorting out loud more than once. The cast is enormous, so I’d recommend keeping a pen and paper handy to track the family tree! Totally worth it, though, they’re hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt.

Oh, doing a 180, going with raw and unexpected reads, I also picked up Half His Age. I had already read Jennette McCurdy’s memoir and loved it, so I was curious about this one since it’s said to be loosely based on her life. As for her being an actress, I only learned about the Nickelodeon scandals with her book, so reading about what she endured (both on set and at home) left me angry for her, but also amazed at how she manages to make you laugh in the middle of such horrible situations. In this new book, her teen main character is awkward, weird, painfully self-aware, and full of disappointment, while dealing with hidden needs and an affair with her teacher. It’s unsettling, honest, and funny in that uncomfortable, human way. She captures the contradictions of trauma so well that I cannot wait for her next book.

And of course, I’ve been reading quite a bit lately for my blog too (and I have new blog entry about calendars and the moon 👀) and if I’m not careful, my brain’s going to melt like something out of Braindead, and I’ll start haunting people from the other side.

So, what have you been reading lately? I’d love to hear your recommendations.

I’m off, godspeed,

Sam