Our TeamSamantha Zabell

Samantha Zabell

    About Me

    Samantha is a writer, runner, and avid plan-canceler living in Manhattan. In between Netflix binges, she's working her calligraphy side hustle at @samzawrites.

    Latest Stories

    It’s Official: This Is the Smallest Apartment in the U.S.
    APRIL FOOLS'
    Of course it’s in New York City.
    Samantha Zabell
    Apr 1, 2023
    5 Drama-Filled Books That Will Distract From Thanksgiving with Your Family
    These reads will give you perspective – and an excuse to leave dinner early.
    Samantha Zabell
    Nov 22, 2022
    These Are the Best Books Set In New York City
    News
    If you loved Fleishman Is In Trouble, you might try these novels set in the same chaotic, energizing city.
    Samantha Zabell
    Nov 17, 2022
    5 Books to Read If You Love Colleen Hoover
    News
    Get your romance novel fix.
    Samantha Zabell
    Nov 1, 2022
    5 New Summer Releases to Add to Your TBR List
    News
    I know summer is barely over yet, but these books are that good.
    Samantha Zabell
    Jul 14, 2022
    5 Books That Highlight the Jewish-American Experience
    News
    To celebrate Jewish-American Heritage Month, here are five books that chronicle modern Jewish life alongside age-old discussions of faith and tradition. 
    Samantha Zabell
    May 19, 2022
    7 Books and Characters That Made Mental Health Advocates Feel Seen
    News
    In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Apartment Therapy talked with mental health advocates who found an escape in these pages.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 17, 2022
    6 Books We’re Waiting For Someone (Reese) to Bring to TV
    Here are a few books that came out in the last few years that someone should jump on.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 9, 2022
    Librarians Recommend Their Favorite Books for National Library Week
    Visit your local library this week and pick up one of these titles.
    Samantha Zabell
    Apr 7, 2022
    12 Authors on Their Favorite Stories by Women
    We asked a dozen female-identifying authors to share the stories that inspired them.
    Samantha Zabell
    Mar 21, 2022
    7 Books That Take You Across the U.S. (Without Leaving Your Couch)
    Celebrate Read Across America Day with these coast-to-coast novels.
    Samantha Zabell
    Mar 2, 2022
    20 of the Best Gifts For Netflix Binge-Watching Fanatics
    Each one of these gifts says: "I know, I know: You're still watching."
    Samantha Zabell
    Nov 16, 2021
    I Didn't Realize I Lost Time with My Dad Until We Made Up For It
    "When I think of my junior year of high school, I don’t really remember what my dad missed. But he was absent for the little things that are so unremarkable, that people might take for granted until it is too late."
    Samantha Zabell
    Jun 17, 2021
    What Book Clubs Have Learned About Community from a Year of Reading Online
    Lessons from a year of Zoom chats and Instagram challenges that can help strengthen your book club.
    Samantha Zabell
    Jun 8, 2021
    7 Bookstagrammers On How to Create a Cozy Reading Nook
    Whether you live in a house or a 400-square foot apartment, take inspiration from these women on making a cozy corner that fits your home.
    Samantha Zabell
    Apr 7, 2021
    Botanists Discover Houseplant That Can “Outlive Its Owners”
    No more plant burials.
    Samantha Zabell
    Apr 2, 2021
    Fans of Sally Rooney, Rejoice: She’s Publishing a New Novel in 2021
    But it’s going to be a while, so here’s a few books to read while you wait.
    Samantha Zabell
    Jan 14, 2021
    What to Read Next, Based On Your Enneagram Type
    Achievers, Peacemakers, Loyalists: There’s something for everyone.
    Samantha Zabell
    Dec 7, 2020
    Black Authors, Bookstore Owners, and Literary Leaders Recommend Their Favorite Books
    Here is a shelf’s worth of important books by Black authors, read and recommended by these book lovers.
    Samantha Zabell
    Jun 16, 2020
    I Have More Than 300 Books. Quarantine Seemed Like a Great Time to Organize Them.
    I have about 350 books and most are in tote bags, on the floor, or next to my perfectly good bookshelves. Here's how I fit them all on the shelves, and in a logical system.
    Samantha Zabell
    Apr 8, 2020
    The Surprising History of Leaf Peeping Dates Back 1,200 Years
    If a leaf changes in a forest, and there’s no one there to Instagram it, does it actually turn from a vibrant summer green to a deep autumnal red?
    Samantha Zabell
    Sep 23, 2019
    How To Pick The Perfect Book Club Book, Based On Your Group
    There is a lot to stress about in this world, so let me help you with this one little task.
    Samantha Zabell
    Aug 8, 2019
    These 7 Things Made My New Apartment Feel So Much Bigger
    I needed clever storage solutions or the spacious apartment I dreamed about would turn into a cluttered reality. Luckily, I found random solutions that helped me store everything.
    Samantha Zabell
    Jun 4, 2019
    9 Buzzed-About Authors You’ll Want to Know Before Your Friends Do
    There’s nothing worse for a bookworm than hearing about a must-read debut, only to find you’re the 105th person on the waitlist at your local library. In the interest of keeping you, and your bookshelves, ahead of the curve, we’ve outlined some of 2018’s most-anticipated releases and debut authors so you can start requesting your holds now.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    6 Books That Will Help You Re-Start Your Failed Resolution
    Even the most focused and organized people let their resolutions slip—it’s so common that a “holiday” has even been invented to let people ditch their resolutions without shame. But we want to challenge you to try something else: Restart Your Resolution Day. Now that you’re back in a normal routine, revisit that goal that’s starting to make you feel guilty and recommit.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    Reese Witherspoon’s Latest Read, and Five More Books We’re Loving This Month
    For me, a new month means a new TBR pile, and I always look to my favorite bookworm, Reese Witherspoon, for what to add to my list. “Reese’s Book Club,” a community of almost 400,000 on Instagram, selects a new read each month and often brings in the author for exclusive interviews. Our March Book Pick, #EroticStoriesForPunjabiWidows, has something for everyone: It’s a mystery, a romance, a family drama… and yes, it’s ? ? ?!
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    In Honor of Its 150th Anniversary, Little Women Is Getting a Graphic Novel
    Louisa May Alcott’s famous novel Little Women is a moving story of four sisters—Meg, Joe, Beth, and Amy—growing up during the Civil War. The popular story inspired many adaptations, including movies, musicals, operas and children’s books. Now, to celebrate 150 years of the March sisters, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has partnered with Tapas Media to give the beloved story a modern and more inclusive update.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    Chloe Benjamin, Author of ‘The Immortalists,’ Has an Enviable Number of Bookshelves
    Chloe Benjamin, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, spent years writing her epic novel The Immortalists, an emotional story about four siblings who learn the exact dates of their deaths from a mysterious fortuneteller. As Varya, Daniel, Klara, and Simon grow up and grow apart, this knowledge drives distinctly different journeys and forces each to question whether we control fate—or fate controls us.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    Leni Zumas, Author of ‘Red Clocks,’ Offers a Peek Into Her Writing Space
    Leni Zumas’ novel Red Clocks is one of the most talked-about of 2018, celebrated for telling a complex, thoughtful story about five strong women grappling with motherhood in vastly different ways. Her central characters—a biographer, a daughter, a wife, an explorer, and a witch-like mender—find their paths intersect as reproductive rights undergo major governmental regulation.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    5 Important Lessons We Learned from Lauren Graham’s New Book
    Grads everywhere may be thumbing through Oh The Places You’ll Go!, which is all well and good, but we think Gilmore Girl-turned-author Lauren Graham has written the next classic for high school and college graduates. Her small-but-mighty book, In Conclusion, Don’t Worry About It, was developed after she gave the commencement speech at her high school in 2017 and realized she had some valuable advice for young people on the cusp of new chapters.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    The One Book You Should Read This May Might Be The Funniest Book of 2018
    Look, I’m all about a complicated, deep, character-driven novel that makes you feel a range of emotions, most of them kind of dark, but that’s not what May is about. May is about finally being able to be outside (provided you’ve taken your allergy medicine) and enjoying long walks in the park, drinks in backyards, and light, fun books you can bring to the beach or the pool. And the book you should bring with you this month is Hey Ladies!
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    These Are The Books Everyone Will Be Talking About This Summer
    Memorial Day is around the corner, so we’re officially allowed to start planning our summers, wearing white jeans… and updating our TBR lists. One of our favorite bookworm communities, Goodreads, used their 75 million members to compile the most anticipated books of summer.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    Moving? This Book Purging Method Is Bibliophile-Approved
    I’d like to start by saying: I hate moving. I am known to be extremely dramatic when it comes to getting organized, packing up my belongings, and essentially living in a real-life obstacle course (dodging suitcases, stepping over boxes) while I await my move. But there was one aspect of my recent relocation—only 20 blocks, but in New York City that still feels like an undertaking—that was justifiably overwhelming: The Purging Of The Bookshelf. Sounds like a horror movie, right?
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    This is Why Your Curtain Liner Likes to Stick to You in the Shower — And How to Stop It
    And how to stop it from happening ever again.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    Does Mouthwash Deserve a Spot in Your Medicine Cabinet? A Dentist Weighs In
    You’re just getting home after a long night, or you’re rushing to work in the morning, and you think: A quick rinse with mouthwash will be the same as brushing my teeth. Sound familiar? Unfortunately for you, that logic isn’t quite right. While mouthwash can be a helpful addition to your oral hygiene routine, it should never be a replacement for proper dental care, says Dr.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019
    7 Things Super Healthy People Do at Home That You Don’t
    Being healthy can feel like a chore—you think that you have to cook special food or try trendy fitness classes to achieve any healthy goals. However, when I talked to some really healthy individuals—from the founder of Whole30 to a sleep doctor—none of them brought up any scary superfoods or crazy workout routines. Turns out, being healthy is just about making a few very simple, but very good, choices.
    Samantha Zabell
    May 3, 2019