oh, november. between the election and a big wrench that got thrown in the middle, i’m not really sure where the month went.

november highlights.

a few days in the smokies // ran my virtual 5k for st jude // friends coming through big-time

november books.

my favorite half-night stand by christina lauren. when i need something light and quick, christina lauren’s books usually hit the spot. this one, about two best friends whose friendship becomes something more, was an easy one to get through, even if it was quite predictable. my favorite of theirs is still josh and hazel’s guide to not dating, but this one was pretty good.

royal holiday by jasmine guillory. maggie, molly, and i decided it was time for another of our rom-com reads, and i suggested we try one of jasmine guillory’s books since i had never read one. we decided on royal holiday, and although i went into it knowing nothing about the premise i was very pleasantly surprised. i love a good love story with slightly older protagonists, and this was a very pleasant read. we are going to read more of guillory’s books in 2021.

how to get filthy rich in rising asia by mohsin hamid. mohsin hamid is one of my favorite authors, and this was the final book of his that i had not read. i had it sitting on my shelf for 5 years because i knew once i read it i wouldn’t have any more of his books to read and that made me kind of sad, but i knew it was finally time to do it. this novel written as a self-help guide was such an interesting story of a young boy growing up in a poor family in a big city in asia who works hard to make something of his life. the city – and even country – could be anywhere in asia, and i enjoyed being able to pick out characteristics of many of the large cities i have read about or visited. hamid has such an interesting way of drawing you into a story, and i look forward to whatever he publishes next. previous favorites: moth smoke / exit west / the reluctant fundamentalist

hrh: so many thoughts on royal style by elizabeth holmes. i can’t remember how or when i first learned about elizabeth holmes’ popular instagram series so many thoughts, but she is probably one of my top 5 favorite follows. her breakdowns of the different outfits members of the royal family [primarily kate middleton and meghan markle, but occasionally also the queen and even kamala harris a few times] wear to their engagements are so interesting and thoughtful, and i love reading what she has to say. a journalist by trade who spent time as a style reporter for the wall street journal, holmes brings both a background in the importance of fashion as well as an interest in and fascination with the royal family which make a great combination. hrh is a deep-dive into the four women who have set the tone for royal dressing: queen elizabeth ii, princess diana, kate middleton, and meghan markle. i loved learning more about each woman and being able to look at the things they wore in a different light. this book will make a great holiday gift if you know someone who loves the royal family.

currently reading: brit bennett’s the vanishing half which is fantastic so far. also slowly making my way through the stories in brandon stanton’s humans.

the best things i watched.

well, i did it. i made it through all twelve seasons of bones. i’m glad i did it, but man, twelve seasons of an hourlong drama is a lot. by the end i was very ready for it to be over. available to stream on prime video and hulu.

i also finished the final two seasons of living single. i have seen sporadic episodes over the years but had never seen all of them, so i am happy to have completed this endeavor. there are a few anomalies, but overall it’s a funny, smart show that i will definitely return to again. available to stream on hulu.

and i finally started watching schitt’s creek. i’m glad i waited until all the seasons were out so i can watch it all the way through. so far i have finished the first 3 seasons and am well into season 4, so i’ll definitely have this finished by next week. available to stream on netflix.

while deep in one of my internet rabbit holes i learned about loop, a pixar short with a main character who is autistic. this 11-minute film is so well done, and i love that the nonverbal autistic character is voiced by a nonverbal autistic young woman. available to stream on disney+.

the best things i read on the internet.

the importance of kamala harris being the first black, first indian, first south asian, first woman vice president-elect in our country’s history.

we don’t deserve stacey abrams.

some great plot ideas for the next big british mystery show.

this cup of jo post filled my heart with so much love.

compost fairy getting some love over on edible memphis.

i love that design mom created a gift guide for your own home. if we’re going to be inside for the next few months, we might as well be cozy and comfortable.

“what the fresh prince of the 90s tells us about race now“

barack obama on the important women in his life. and yes, i will soon be purchasing his new book for myself as a holiday gift.

love these “notes to self”.

scotland is set to become the first country in the world to provide period products for free to anyone who needs them.

meghan markle wrote a great op-ed about the losses we share. trigger warning: miscarriage; racial injustice; trauma

this story about a family in south bend who usually hosts students and community members for thanksgiving was beautiful.

‘other countries have safety nets. the united states has women’.

xx