The Books That Taught Me to See Beauty in the Everyday
From orcs with lattes to frogs with cookies, these stories rewired and reinforced how I move through the world—plus, 27 gratitude prompts to help you notice the little things too.
The Journal: On Tuesdays, dive into personal essays, reflections, and behind-the-scenes insights from my bookish and personal life.
The Books That Remind Me That Life Is Also Routines and Laundry Piles
Hi Bookish Besties,
There’s a kind of magic in books that slows you down.
Not the fantasy epics (though I love those too)—I mean the quiet stories. The ones where not much “happens,” but everything shifts. Where waiting for seeds to grow, sipping tea with a friend, or noticing sunlight through a window becomes the whole point.
I will admit that every so often, I might feel like my life is boring. For example, every Sunday at 5 PM Eastern when I go live on YouTube to unbox my bookmail, and chat with you live, without fail, I almost always mention the same thing: When I hop off the live, I’m going to fold my laundry, and when that’s done make a cup of tea, relax, and then read.
Because that’s real life. Folding clothes, listening to audiobooks, then sipping something warm and reading physical pages later. Yes, it isn’t exciting, but it’s also the heartbeat of my Sundays—and honestly, the older I get, the more I want my reading life to reflect that. I like books that remind me that quiet routines, overlooked moments, and mismatched socks can be sacred too.
So that’s what this week’s Journal is all about: it’s my love letter to those kinds of books.
If you’ve ever:
Needed a little help finding beauty in your messy everyday
Saved a quote and forgot to live it
Felt like you were rushing through a life you wanted to savor
Then this one’s for you! I’m sharing:
A list of 14 books that rewired and reinforced how I see the world (yes, Frog and Toad made the list)
27 surprisingly un-cheesy gratitude prompts you can start today
Ready to read slower, feel deeper, and maybe cry on the couch over a toad?
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