i’m rachel a. dawson.
or you can call me rad.
if you’re into good books, creative hobbies, mental health, faith deconstruction, exploring dating (and singleness), and generally giving a damn, you’re in the right place.
the rad recap is a corner of the internet for people who always have a book going (or five), who think recommending the perfect next read is a love language, and who believe in making beautiful things, diving into the deep end, and keeping your eyes open for the joy all around.
this is a space where i share:
📚 what i’m reading (usually 150-200 books a year, aiming for diversity across the board!)
🧶 the hobbies i’m trying (needlepoint! journaling! beaded jewelry! collaging! etc!)
❤️🩹 deeper thoughts on what it means to be a human in the world today (deconstructing from evangelicalism, navigating dating in my 30s, working through physical and mental health battles, committing to allyship in word and action)
💐 whatever other things i’m loving lately
basically?
this space is part reading journal, part recommendation hub, and part honest corner of the internet where i share what i’m reading, what i’m learning, and what i’m still trying to figure out. expect monthly book reviews, reading recs, hobby hopping, and the occasional ramble about life, creativity, faith, and the wild, beautiful process of becoming who you are.
curious what that looks like?
here are a few popular posts:
mostly, this is a place for people who love books — and the ways they help us grow.
here’s what you can expect:
5️⃣ five rad finds — usually once a month (free!)
📬 the rad r.e.c.a.p. — usually once a month (paywalled)
📚 all the rad reads — monthly recaps (paywalled)
🙃 recs + wrecks — quarterly (paywalled)
✨ many other posts as they strike me! (a mix of free and paywalled)
ps – most content is behind a paywall here, not because i want to gatekeep, but because i want this to be a community full of genuine connections and great conversations, and that takes more investment! you can subscribe for $5/mo or $50/year.
if you can’t swing a paid membership but want to dive in, shoot me an email at rad@racheladawson.com and we’ll work it out, no problem. 😌
a bit about me:
i’m a social media manager of a university by day, as well as a bookstagrammer, content creator, tiktoker, richmond city lover, and more on my own accounts. i’m a reader and a journaler, a hobby hopper and a big feeler, a first-born daughter, an enneagram 1 infj taurus, and a true-blue millennial. i love a good oat milk matcha latte, a farmer’s market bouquet of wildflowers, long walks around the city, and a well-curated spotify playlist. you too?
i’m so glad you’re here.
if you want to follow me into other corners of the internet, you can check out my website, my bookstagram, my instagram, my booktok, and my mostly neglected youtube. 🫶🏼
