Sunday Sundries 005: Do We Have a Book of the Summer?
Plus, ditching my Stanley and Caroline Chambers’ book tour outfits
Welcome to Sunday Sundries, the antidote to—or at least a distraction from—your Sunday Scaries.
Hello,
I’ve gotta tell you, I’m giddy about this newsletter and community. Is it just me? Am I losing my mind? High on my own supply? Or do you feel it, too?
Every time I sit down to write, a fizzy excitement courses through me. Yay, I get to write to my friends! This might sound disingenuous or Pollyanna-ish, but it’s true. Maybe it’s purpose-alignment? I just cringed at my own earnestness, but am forcing myself to leave it in.
The response to Wednesday’s reintroduction and day in the life letter was so much bigger than I expected. Many of you said you’re going to write your own day in the life post. If you do, tag me or send it to me. I’m a Nosy Nellie who loves reading about the minutiae of other people’s lives.
If you read that post, you’re pretty caught up on what’s going on over here. It’s been a quiet week at my dining room table which doubles as my desk trying to get into a writing groove.
But let’s dip into a few other things on my mind:
👚 Currently Coveting: Caroline Chambers’ Book Tour Wardrobe
Substack sweetheart has a new cookbook out this week! I say sweetheart because I got to meet her IRL recently and she’s every bit as genuine and kind and excited as she comes across in her newsletter. And don’t get me wrong, I’m pumped about the cookbook (her editor gave me a tip to start with the Panko Honey Mustard Chicken on p 144. Bonus: it’s a sheet pan meal with minimal cleanup), but I’m even more excited about her amazing book tour outfits.
It’s giving California cool. It’s giving “What? This old thing? I just threw this on.”
As a certified dress girlie, these pants looks have me rethinking what I want to wear this fall. I’m frankly despondent that the Sezane Jimmy Trousers are out of stock in larger sizes (if you’re a 4/6/8, please buy them so I can live vicariously). They’re not quite the same, but I got these Target ones to try and scratch the itch. Gap has some, too (pro: extra 40% off; con: not available for shipping in all sizes). But then there’s the white wide-leg jeans (I got the Target cousin here, too), the red Veronica Beard top. I want it all!
You can follow along on the tour and outfit inspo on her IG. Also, Caro: sorry I made it weird.
💧Owala Water Bottle > Stanley Water Bottle
Question: did Stanley brainwash us? Was it quite literally in the water? For a while, I was a hold out. But, eventually, I ponied up $45 for a 40 oz tumbler the internet made me feel like I needed. The light purple color pushed me over the edge.
And it was… fine.
Actually, it was heavy and clunky. Forget traveling with it. Forget sipping from it in bed without fully sitting up (or do so at your own risk, because you might end up soaked… I speak from experience.)
And why do I need 40 oz of water at a clip? I’m not a long haul trucker. I’m a girl who types on her laptop all of 12 feet from the sink. I’m a girl who is currently working in 15-minute sprints and welcomes—nay, courts—distractions. The 40 oz format didn’t make me drink more water, it just made me leave extra water sitting overnight, leading me to google insane things like “legionnaires disease water bottle” and “does squeezed lemon go bad.”
The other week, sick of my water bottle the size and weight of a human infant, I ordered an Owala. Actually, I mistakenly ordered an Owala bottle meant for children (the 16 oz version). And I love it! Cute colors (mine’s yellow). A straw. A handle for carrying it that makes sense. And—most importantly—a motherf-ing lid. I thought about returning the small size, but it’s perfect for workouts and walks. I may add a 24 oz at some point in the future.
📚 Do We Have a Book of the Summer?
It’s officially mid-August. We’re in the waning days of summer (I believe fall starts Sept 1 regardless of what the calendar says), and I’m wondering: do we have a definitive book of the summer? This year’s equivalent to 2022’s TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW, AND TOMORROW craze or 2023’s obsession with FOURTH WING or YELLOWFACE?
I don’t have the bandwidth—or desire, frankly—to make this a more formal exercise akin to our “100 Best Books of the 21st Century” project, so think of this as the equivalent of licking my finger and holding it up to see which way the wind’s blowing.
Here are my most likely contenders:
ALL FOURS by Miranda July (Bookshop | Amazon): This is THE book for artsy women in their mid/late-30’s or older. Olivia Wilde posted about it, Melanie Lynskey did, too, if that helps paint the picture. But outside those circles, I’m not sure how widely it’s being read. A 45-year old artist of some renown goes on a cross-country roadtrip without her husband and child and winds up in a small Nevada town on a completely different journey.
GOD OF THE WOODS by Liz Moore (Bookshop | Amazon): in 1975, a camper—also the child of the summer camp’s owners—goes missing, a disappearance that mirrors another missing person case 14-years prior. I’ve heard multiple people call this unputdownable. Even Obama had it on his summer reading list.
THE WEDDING PEOPLE by Alison Espach (Bookshop | Amazon): Call it recency bias, call it personal affinity, but I feel like I’m seeing this everywhere at the moment. Moreover, every review (including mine) is glowing. At the lowest point in her life, a woman goes to a ritzy Newport hotel only to discover she’s the only guest NOT there for a wedding. She unwittingly gets sucked into the role of the bride’s confidante.
JUST FOR THE SUMMER by Abby Jimenez (Bookshop | Amazon): In the past month, I’ve seen less about this romcom following two people afflicted with the same dating curse who decide to fake-date to break it. But at the beginning of the summer it was EVERYWHERE. And for good reason, it’s hilarious and steamy and has just enough emotional heft to keep it from being pure fluff (though there’s nothing wrong with fluff). Perhaps it’s because everyone—376K people according to Goodreads—has already read it.
Dark Horses: At the beginning of the summer, I would have predicted MARGO’S GOT MONEY TROUBLES, and even though it’s had buzz, it doesn’t feel like it truly exploded the way I might have expected. I think THE PAIRING by Casey McQuiston also has “book of the summer” potential, but it only came out last week and hasn’t had long enough to marinate (though it did snag the #6 spot on this week’s New York Times trade paperback best-seller list).
But what do you think? If you disagree with these, let me know your pick and make your case in the comments!
🎙️ Catching Up with The Queen of Rom-Coms
Quick programming note to let you know that Emily Henry is the guest on this week’s episode of Bad on Paper, the podcast I co-host with . It’s a fun, silly episode that gives you a peek behind the curtain at what EmHen is like outside of authordom (mediocre but enthusiastic tennis player, clothing renter, nostalgic movie lover, Instagram lurker).
If you’re looking for more of a craft episode, we talked to her along those lines back in 2021. You can check it out here.
Where to Next? More Links to Stave Off Your Scaries:
Sarah Shapiro kicked off fall trend coverage on —one of my favorite fashion newsletters—and this week’s topic is suede. I had a purple suede miniskirt from Bebe my freshman year of college and this post inspired me to track down its grown-up cousin.
Carley Fortune announced her 2025 book, and it’s a sequel to Every Summer After!
If you need a rundown on the It Ends With Us drama, has a good overview (it’s paywalled, but there’s a free trial).
Blair Eadie has the magic touch with ASOS finds, if you have a fancy event coming up, this IG carousel is a must-scroll; there are links on her blog.
Gobbling up all intel about this new steamy romance imprint built for the fans.
Target has this tennis skirt in a huge range of fun colors. They’re meant for college game days, but I bought the blue one to brighten up my usually all-black pickleball wardrobe.
See you next Sunday!
Becca
I loved Margos Got Money Troubles. It's MY book of the summer.
God of the Woods was just SO good. A masterclass imo. I hesitated because I wasn’t sure it was going to be for me but I was wrong: it hooked me in right from the start! Really enjoyed All Fours, too!