13 Cool Things You Need to Click On Today

Long-sleeved swimsuit, J.Crew. Hat, Anthropologie. Sunglasses, Electric. Book: The Whisper Man

We're in Fenwick Island, Delaware, right now for my annual veg-out-at-my-parents'-house trip. We've done a lot of pool time, a lot of playground time, a beach day, and a lot of relaxing, which means ipad time for them and READING for me. (They start school in a few days, and mom needs a vacation, too. I refuse to feel guilty about the gross amounts of screen time they've had over the last few days.)

I hope you all are enjoying the last few days of summer (wahh!), and that you have something fun (or nothing at all--I love that even more) planned for this weekend. Here's a few fun links to check out in the meantime.

• I'm going to be on a podcast! I taped an episode of Laura Tremaine's awesome and super smart podcast 10 Things to Tell You earlier this week. It was so fun and I can't wait for you all to hear it! It's going to air next week, and I'll be sure to share a link. We talk all about our favorite books of the summer!

• September Book of the Month picks are out! I thought this was a really, really good month. I had a really tough time choosing! In the end, I went with Wild Game for my pick (I've heard it's incredible) and If Only I Could Tell You as my add-on. (Tender Land would have been another add-on for me, but I happen to have an advance copy of it.) Quick reminder: If you're not yet a Book of the Month member, you can use my link to sign up and you'll get a free book! (PS: You should be a BOTM member. I'm obsessed! More on why I love it here.)

• Speaking of reading, I've done a ton of it since I've been on vacay. Here's what I've read and loved in the past month: The Gifted School (cray cray parents battle to get their kids into a new school for gifted children), Park Avenue Summer (Mad Men meets magazines in this fictional take on Helen Gurley Brown's reinvention of Cosmopolitan magazine in the 60s), American Predator (a heart-stopping non-fiction book--that reads like a really good crime novel--about the terrifying serial killer you've never heard of), The Beekeeper of Aleppo (the harrowing tale of a couple who must flee Syria during the war. Beautifully written with a twist. Reminded me of The Kite Runner!), We Came Here to Forget (a smart, engrossing romance/family drama with some definite twists/reveals), The Need (part sci-fi novel with some INSANE twists/part societal commentary on motherhood. This is definitely the craziest book you'll read this year), I'd Rather Be Reading (a non-fiction love letter to reading that any reader will relate to! Also, just noticed it's free on kindle unlimited or only $7 for the hardcover right now!), and the audiobook of The Rainbow Comes and Goes (Anderson Cooper and his mom Gloria Vanderbilt write letters to each other about their lives, so that they will have no unanswered questions between them. Fascinating and so beautiful--and I really think the audiobook is a must with this one!). 

• A few great Labor Day sales to check out: Gap has 40% off everything with code DAYOFF (I just did a ton of back-to-school shopping for my son there!), J.Crew has 40% off regular price and 50% off sale with code SUNSET, Ann Taylor has 40% off plus an additional 10% off with code LASTHURRAH, and Boden has 20% off women's clothes and 25% off kids with code R8W3 (I love their kids clothes!).

• I ordered this under-$100 lacy going-out top from Anthropologie last week and I love it! I got the berry color, which is very unlike me. (I really like the black version, too, but I already have something very similar...)

• Cool new beauty line alert: Floral Street is a brand-new-to-the-U.S. line from the U.K. that was created by the legendary beauty exec behind lines like La Mer and St. Tropez. The bottles are insanely gorgeous, the company is big on sustainability, and the fragrances themselves are beautiful and unlike anything you've smelled before. My favorites: Neon Rose, a zingy fruity floral (with no actual rose in it!) and London Poppy, a light, fresh blend of orange blossom, lemon, and neroli.

• The fuzzy plaid packaging for the Tarte Fall Feels palette is so cute, and the shadows inside are really pretty.

• Wait. I'm dying. The new, studded matte black cup from Starbucks is now being resold for $100 online?!?! I actually bought one here in Delaware a few days ago, but haven't used it yet, so if anyone would like to pay $100 for it, it's YOURS! Lol. (I do love the cup though. But not that much...!)

• Your battery will thank me: Seven iPhone settings to turn off right now.

• Science says it: Reading makes your brain feel like it's on vacation!

• Carly influenced me! I really, really want to start a little free library now...

• The Shawshank Redemption is one of my all-time favorite movies, so I adored this look back at why it's so beloved.

• For the last week, I've been absolutely captivated by a story on Instagram. Eva, the young daughter of @lindsayletters.co had a freak fall off a golf cart two weeks ago and has been fighting for life in the hospital ever since. The prognosis has not been good so far. She's around the age of my own daughter, so it really hits home. Thinking of her often and really hoping they get some much-needed good news soon.