mind trinkets #1: magic, mayhem, & maps
things that caught my mind's eye in march 2025
Hello again, dear friends, and welcome back to a new segment that I’m calling “Mind Trinkets,” all about what I’ve been obsessing over recently! This past month has definitely been a good one in that regard—I found lots of things that captured my interest, and I’m excited to share them with you! So, let’s take a look!
current obsessions
Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid
Having lived through the YA dystopian boom of the early and mid 2010s and thoroughly gorged myself on the genre, YA dystopian is a genre I thought I might never read again. Until this book, that is. Of all the noticeable things about Reid’s dystopian novel, Fable for the End of the World—including the evocative writing, the deeply complex characters, the pulse-pounding plot—it feels like the most present is just how rooted in our current day reality it is. All of the themes—from the predatory nature of capitalism to the environmental consequences of our current economic and political systems—feel so close, in fact maybe even a little too close for comfort. Reid masterfully weaves all of these elements together, and I gotta say: I trust her all the way to be able to handle it with the nuance and elegance necessary to make a lasting impact.
Our Infinite Fates by Laura Steven
On the slightly less serious side of the scale, I’m also currently reading Laura Steven’s latest YA novel, which is a contemporary fantasy involving a reincarnation romance. I didn’t think I’d love this book as much as I do, especially given that the fantasy element (so far, at least) is quite light and it reads more like a mixture of contemporary fiction, historical fiction, and romance with light mystery and fantasy elements sprinkled in. Nevertheless, from the moment I started reading, I found myself drawn through this timeless love story, which is in turns tender and tragic. Everything about this book is so wholly captivating, and I can’t wait to find out where the story goes!
The Wheel of Time Season 3 (Prime Video)
I’ve been a big fan of The Wheel of Time since the first season (though I’ve never read the books that the show is adapted from), so I was ecstatic to find out that episodes of Season 3 had started releasing weekly at the start of March! After the explosive events of the second season, I can’t wait to see where the story takes our beloved characters.
MAYHEM by Lady Gaga
The Lady Gaga of the early to mid 2010s is back, baby, and I couldn’t be happier! Lady Gaga actually released her debut single around my freshman year of high school, so having a new album from her that reminds me of that era has me feeling like a teen again and just wanting to dance the night away! Even as she returns to the sounds of her earlier pop eras, Gaga still sounds impeccable and it’s evident how much her talent has matured in the best way possible in the over decade and a half since she released her first album.
Crocheting A Scarf
I learned how to crochet in February and March with the help of one of my good friends and YouTube, so now I’m putting my new skills to use! I decided to crochet a autumnal multicolored scarf, in part because I figured that I’d finish crocheting it by the time fall comes around. So far, I’m having so much fun doing this! And as someone with ADHD, it’s a great way to keep my hands busy while listening to something else, like an audiobook, YouTube video, or even a lecture recording from the course I’m taking. I’ve been really excited to see how the scarf is growing and coming together—it’s nice to see that I made something!
what’s got me thinking recently
“Fantasy Maps Should Be Weirder” by Nakari Speardane
I’m currently taking Cultural Geography, so this video instantly caught my attention. It’s a wonderful and fun watch that points out and applies to fiction something that I think a lot of people take for granted: how cultural perspective quite literally shapes the maps we create.
“Political Science Nerd Talks War Theory in The Hunger Games” by emma’s book talks
This is such an interesting and considered video which takes into account the many nuances of its subject. I feel like I learned so much from it, and it also made me think about my own principles and beliefs.
song of the day
Listen to the entire playlist for the Life in Technicolor newsletter here.