🌷 Sunday Sharies: May 2025

the new Emily Henry book, a sparkly black tie dress, and a very bad use of John Krasinski

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! There’s a lot of stuff we’d like to share that won’t fit in our usual Thursday TV newsletter. Some of that stuff is here. Read on for a special monthly peek into what your trusty Double Take duo has been watching, reading, listening to, and more.

— Jenni Cullen and Jess Spoll

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What we’re reading…

Jess: My reading pace flat-lined this month thanks to a momentum-killer: Grady Hendrix’s Witchcraft for Wayward Girls. The only spell it cast was getting me to leave it unfinished—a miracle, because I never DNF books. 250 pages in, I still hadn’t met a compelling character or a hint of spookiness, just a 500-page lecture on how the world wrongs women, complete with pregnancy-as-horror tropes. (From a male author, at that). (1/5 ⭐️)

Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley opens like an indie-rock snob’s diary, complete with faux philosophizing and lots of musical name drops. But it swells into a beautiful decade-spanning tale about growing up, selling out, and the kind of on-again, off-again pull of a relationship that’s always waiting in the wings. It’s messy, hopeful, and by the final page it ripped my heart out. Keep an eye out for the upcoming A24 film adaptation starring Austin Butler and Saoirse Ronan. (4/5 ⭐️)

I also started Emily Henry’s new rom-com, Great Big Beautiful Life; I’m about halfway through and it’s perfectly pleasant but oddly forgettable. I’m still waiting for the spark that makes her rom-coms irresistible. I’ll report back next month after I’ve finished (or follow me on Goodreads for real-time updates!)

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Jenni:

One-Star Romance by Laura Hankin (3/5 ⭐)

I kicked off the month with this quick and breezy rom com about a struggling writer who’s forced to walk down the aisle at her best friend’s wedding with the guy who publicly gave her first book a scathing review. Their paths continue to cross over the years, and sparks (eventually) fly. It was cute—a little One Day-adjacent, but far less devastating. Perfect if you're in the mood for something light and self-aware.

A Short Walk Through a Wide World by Douglas Westerbeke (3.5/5 ⭐)

This speculative historical fiction novel follows a woman cursed with a mysterious illness that forces her to keep moving—if she stays for more than a few days in the same place she starts to die. I absolutely loved the premise and the immersive, globe-trotting adventure of the first half. But around the 75% mark, the tone of the story shifts into heavier philosophizing that doesn’t totally match the pacing or spirit of the beginning. Still, it’s a creative and thought-provoking read.

Intermezzo by Sally Rooney (4/5 ⭐)

Finally got around to finishing this after letting it languish on my nightstand all winter. I kept putting it down because I was never in the right headspace for Rooney’s signature melancholy or her characters’ near-allergic reaction to clear communication. But I’m glad I came back to it—the ending was gentler and more uplifting than I expected, and Rooney remains great at capturing how complicated and messy human relationships can be.

A Terribly Nasty Business by Julia Seales

I just started this sequel to A Most Agreeable Murder this weekend! Big thanks to Penguin Random House for the advance copy. Out next month, this one promises more regency-era charm, social satire, and cozy mystery chaos.

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What else we’re watching…

Jess: I’m a little behind on May’s new TV and movie releases because I spent a week at the Cannes Film Festival. I saw 16 films, cried in the Debussy Theatre more than once, and had my daily coffee by the sea. I’m debating a special Double Take edition with blurbs/reviews for everything I saw there. Let me know if that’s something you’d be interested in!

At home, I did catch a few new releases…