First, the most enormous thank you to my wonderful Magpies. I want you to know that I attribute about 80%* of my book to you, and that there is a special letter just for you in its acknowledgments section. If you hadn’t been here as my sturdy sounding board, my eager and willing commenters, and my patrons for the past many years, the book would never have happened. I mean this quite literally: my publisher approached me because of the community we have built here. Thank you, thank you. I never take this corner of the Internet for granted.
Second, a little recap of the past year on this corner of the Internet! The anecdotal highlights for me were re-launching our book club (and the many fabulous conversations about a fabulous canon of books that we had over the course of the past many months), combing through your hilarious, poignant, and insightful responses to my icebreaker questions, and the many earnest conversations we had about relationships and love, and the countless forms those can take. I really loved writing about lighthouse friends (a coinage I borrowed from our own Kelly) and the softest kinds of love. Those musings opened, or softened, something in me.
*The other 20% I’d attribute to my own discipline and the occasional landing of my muses.
Our Favorite Posts from the Year.
But the most popular posts by number of visits from the year were:
01. My book review of God of the Woods.
02. My book review of Wild Dark Shore.
04. My book review of The Berry Pickers.
I find this fascinating because it suggests that a) we are a readerly bunch, and b) that people have come to trust us for book conversations! So if you found us via any of my book review posts, you’re in the right spot. We love to talk books here — heavy on the bad book girl energy. Read as you please. DNF when you need to. And tell us about it all!
*Also, I guess it must be said: my advanced degree in literature is being put to unexpectedly good use!
Magpie Community Headlines from the Year.
A few amazing things happened in our community this year, too:
01. Older magpies weighed in on questions that younger magpies asked. (Should we make this a recurring series?)
02. BlueMercury reached out to sponsor a post about new scents basically because of our scent enclave… (scroll down)!
03. I wrote some time ago about a Magpie whose six-year-old son had passed away. Just a week ago, she reached out to me and told me she’d connected with another Magpie who’d also lost her son, and that they’d built an important and supportive relationship with one another. I feel weepy writing about this. My heart is with these women.
04. We shone on a spotlight on two incredible creatives in our midst.
05. We exchanged tender advice on many topics, from how to support a friend going through a tough time to how to approach sibling bickering. (I talked to a counselor about how I might reduce the amount of squabbling between my kids, and she said: “when you find the answer, let me know” — lol.)
Our Favorite Products from 2025.
On the shopping front, our top ten best-selling items across the entire year:
ROLLNECK SWEATER // VERONICA BEARD BLAZER // ROMY TOTE // DORSEY NECKLACE // FOLLOW SUIT FLORA ONE-PIECE // BEDROOM RUG // BEST JEANS EVER (USE CODE JEN15)
Full list below…
01. THE ROMY TOTE
02. FOLLOW SUIT’S FLORA ONE-PIECE (RECENTLY RESTOCKED)
03. THE ICONIC J. CREW ROLLNECK SWEATER (LOTS OF GOOD COLORS AVAILABLE NOW)
04. MY BEDROOM RUG
05. THE DORSEY CLEMENCE NECKLACE
06. VERONICA BEARD WATKINS BLAZER (ALMOST SOLD OUT; MORE HERE; SIMILAR FROM CURRENT SEASON HERE)
07. ME+EM SEERSUCKER JUMPSUIT (ON SALE)
08. RAG + BONE FLEXI JEANS (BEST BEST BEST – USE CODE JEN15)
10. RHOBACK Q-ZIPS FOR THE MEN
Our Amazon Favorites from 2025.
On Amazon, I organized our top 10 favorite items here, but am spotlighting the top few here:
01. BEST LIGHTWEIGHT FOLDING CHAIRS
02. FAVORITE INEXPENSIVE EVERYDAY SOCKS (SOFT, PLUSH, WORK FOR EXERCISE OR CASUAL WEAR)
04. WINTER MUST-HAVE: RECHARGEABLE HAND-WARMERS
05. FAVORITE INEXPENSIVE SHEET MASKS FOR “GLASS SKIN”
06. CELINE-INSPIRED HAIR CLAWS
I’m curious — what were some of your favorite moments and/or purchases here on the blog this year? Any standout conversations, comments, mantras? What about products you now can’t live without? Please share!
P.S. Footholds for when you need ’em.
P.P.S. What was the first book or movie that really changed you emotionally?
P.P.P.S. Remember this holiday week: it’s never the cream.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links above, I may receive compensation.
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I did want to say, I LOVE your virtual book club as well! What a wonderful idea, community, and your essays about the books are so well done, I really enjoy.
Thank you, friend!!! xx
I keep the post on maintaining wonder as a parent pinned to the top of my tabs and reread it on hard days. I have a separate “Magpie” tab group on my safari for another dozen favorites, and anything that’s current where I want to check back on the comments. The meaning you make here and the community you’ve cultivated is really special. Favorite rec bar none is A Ghost In The Throat, and I also read Trespasses and The Correspondent off of your recs. Love Little Women Winter and all the eldest sister energy that abounds here. And yes, please do make tapping other magpies for advice a recurring series! Maybe you could do targeted selections…magpies with lots of kids and zero kids weighing in for people on the fence, or I know Aoife and I are both expats, or I would be surprised if there are many very young magpies but I always ask my little brother in law for fashion advice and definitely trust the youth if someone would tell me what sneakers are cool now!
Thank you so much, Kelly — I appreciate this sweet note more than you know. Glad you are here and such a meaningful voice in this community too!!
xx
For the stand out, this year was starting the virtual book club. Wild Dark Shore is one of my standout books of the year. I would not have discovered it without this blog.
I enjoy that you have journal prompts or pondering’s within your posts. It makes me think a little deeper. Love the quotes you add in or poems. Love that you’re getting out into nature and bird watching etc.
It’s a my daily dose of intellectual insight your blog.
Keep it up. Can’t wait to read your book.
You are so kind, Courtney — thank you so much. You’ll never know how much these encouraging and warm words mean to me! Glad you’re here!
xx
I love these posts! Is there a date we could preorder your book? I’m sure a ton of us would love to support you and your beautiful writing!
Eeek! You are THE BEST. Will be announcing this soon — thank you so much for your support!