Greetings from the Chicago suburbs! It’s fun and a little surreal to be the one writing this post, as I’m usually behind the scenes helping to put it together. That’s just one of my many tasks as the Editor and Social Media Manager for MMD. In any case, I’m glad I can step in for Anne today after the hustle and bustle of the Summer Reading Guide. Thank you for indulging me with my offerings today!
What are you up to this weekend? I’m looking forward to seeing my “halfway” friend, so called because we live an hour and a half apart and meet up monthly at a spot that’s halfway between us both. We’ve known each other since junior high and managed to keep in touch while living in other states. It takes extra effort to make these get togethers happen but it’s such a treat to both live in Illinois again.
I need to finish a library book that’s due and I’m in the middle of a couple of buddy reads. Plus, I have a few book reviews to finish; I’ve been working on a tricky one for over a month! Time to wrap that up and move on.
Wherever this weekend finds you, I hope it will provide the rest, relaxation, and connection you need. In the meantime, I hope this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind.
My favorite finds from around the web:
Abraham Verghese on the Whiteboard: Its Iterations and Complications. (Oprah Daily) I cannot wait to read his new book.
Paratexts, Part One: Judging a Book by its Back Cover. (Close Reading Romance) My friend Charlotte wrote a brilliant three part series on paratexts a couple of years ago that I think about regularly.
Lost Illusions: The Untold Story of the Hit Show’s Poisonous Culture. (Vanity Fair) I was a big fan of Lost but I long suspected Harold Perrineau was done wrong. That’s unfortunately just scratching the surface of what happened behind the scenes.
Since I’m the resident romance enthusiast in these parts, here are a few of my recent 5 star romances: Throne in the Dark (Villains & Virtues #1) by AK Caggiano (fantasy romance; chaste-ish but pretty sure next book will be open door), Fated Blades (Kinsmen #3) by Ilona Andrews (scifi romance; open door; stands on its own just fine), and Fail Seven Times by Kris Ripper (contemporary romance; open door).
The Dave Matthews Guide to Living and Dying. (GQ) This profile took me right back to those summer afternoons riding in my friend Brandon’s convertible while we all sang along to DMB at the top of our lungs.
I read and listened to a few different Tina Turner tributes this past week. This episode of It’s Been a Minute with Brittany Luse was my favorite.
Drowning in Dupes. (The Cut) When I read this, I wondered if the author had been listening in on my recent Voxer conversations with Anne! Fashion brands inevitably take inspiration from each other—think The Devil Wears Prada—but dupe culture can also be a lesson in getting what you pay for.
Not to be TMI but let’s just say perimenopause has wreaked havoc with my period. A few months ago, I decided to get period underwear from a company aptly named Period so I could have more of a back up. GAME. CHANGER. I’m partial to the sporty stretch and microfiber pairs!
Related: I’ve been pushing Bleed: Destroying Myths and Misogyny in Endometriosis Care on all of my friends, whether or not they have endo.
Reclaiming a North Carolina Plantation. (Garden & Gun) What a remarkable endeavor! I’m rooting for Catawba Trail Farm.
My first What Should I Read Next appearances, well before I joined the team: Ep 9: The reality of bookworm problems and Ep 137: Bibliotherapy for the toughest times.
The ‘Top Chef’ Oral History: “How Is This Going Off the Rails on Day One?” (The Hollywood Reporter) I rarely watch TV these days but I still have so much love for this show.
Don’t miss these MMD posts:
20 favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs. Pick up one of Anne’s favorite LGBTQ+ novels and memoirs during Pride month and all year long!
3 offbeat summer grilling favorites. The grilling recipes Anne’s family adores are a little unusual…
15 Backlist Summer Reading Guide favorites that are even better on audio. You can listen to audiobooks year round but the summer is an especially great time, whether you’re gardening, sitting poolside, or on a road trip.
Mark your calendar:
- June 9: Live discussion with Curtis Sittenfeld: Join Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club for a discussion of Romantic Comedy with Curtis Sittenfeld!
- June 13: WSIRN Ask Us Anything Livestream: Join Patreon for our first AUA of 2023! If you haven’t been to one of our AUAs before, these are fun, casual, and sometimes delightfully unpredictable conversations focused on the one thing we all have in common: books!
- June 22: Live discussion with Patti Callahan Henry: Join Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club for a discussion of The Secret Book of Flora Lea with Patti Callahan Henry!
Have a great weekend!
Leigh Kramer is the Editor and Social Media Manager here at MMD. Her go-to genres are romance, fantasy, and YA. You can follow Leigh on Goodreads.
36 comments
Where can I get the recipe for those delicious muffins? 🙂
Unfortunately, I don’t know! It’s a photo from Unsplash.
Google “Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins “. They are the best blueberry muffins ever ! For another real treat (which I just happened to make last night) make CopyCat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls. Recipe is also online. SOOO YUMMY
Hi Leigh,
Thanks for sharing with us from the midwest and “in front” this week. Would you please share your recipe for the yummy blueberry muffins that you show at the beginning of your post? Thanks!
I wish I could but the photo is from Unsplash! They sure look tasty though.
Hello Leigh, it’s nice to see you here! I just read the Abraham Verghese article and was blown away by his whiteboard & writing process. What a genius!! Plus, I learned the word profluence 😉 Now I’m even more anxious to read Covenant of Water.
Thank you for bringing the book Bleed to our attention as well. As an endo warrior myself, I have a LOT of questions. When I had a total hysterectomy at age 40, it was the only option my OB/GYN presented. I plan to share this book with my daughters too💞
Have fun with your halfway friend!
Thanks, Janelle! I hope you’ll find Bleed to be helpful and affirming of your experience. I really wish it had been published decades ago!
Well at least we have it now 🤗
I just love Ilona Andrews and feel like the books would be more mainstream hits if they would just change the covers! I think they turn people off.
I personally love their covers!
I listened to the Covenant of Water audiobook, narrated by the author. Truly a great read. I would recommend it! It is worth the time.
For thrifty readers like me, I was delighted to see that my public library had many digital copies available when it was released last month; they must have anticipated a lot of interest.
So glad you enjoyed it! Kudos to your library on anticipating the interest.
Re the foodie photo: Those look more like cut biscuits to me, based on the very round shape, relatively flat top, and the presence of parchment paper, on which they may well have been baked. But maybe I just have biscuits on the brain – been baking some sourdough biscuits lately to use my discard.
Because I was curious I did a reverse image search and found the recipe for blueberry lemon scones! http://www.popshopamerica.com/blog/lemon-blueberry-scones-recipe/
Excellent! A close relative of the biscuit. They look mouthwatering good. Yum.
You are awesome! Thank you!
You’re our hero for finding this recipe! The photo makes my mouth water. 😁
What a delightful assortment of links! Leigh, I so enjoyed seeing YOUR interesting reads and favorite things for the weekend. Now I’m going to get a fresh cup of coffee and read all about dupes and Abraham Verghese’s process.
Is this our version of Freaky Friday, Anne?? LOL
I, for one, am loving this “Freaky Friday” switch up! It’s so fun! I look forward to this weekly email so much and I was so excited to see Leigh’s takeover today! Strong work! I love it and am looking forward to more. Now to get clicking…
Thank you, Sharon!
I missed that Abraham Verghese had a new book! He’s one of my favorite authors – so pumped. Immediately ordered!
The Lost Illusions article was a great, disturbing read. I’m sad, but not surprised, at what it revealed was going on behind the scenes. Thanks for sharing that link.
Cuse and Lindelof’s responses were incredibly disappointing, weren’t they?
Thank you, Leigh! I will be adding these articles to my weekend reading list.
Hope you enjoy your perusing!
Okay, I wanted the recipe too. They look like scones to me. I always share these blogs on my page for readers. You did great stepping in for MMD. The links here are always fabulous. I do have a scone recipe and the texture looks similar to these. Mine calls for dried cranberries, but I think I’m going to substitute blueberries next time: https://www.phyllishmoore.com/post/meg-miller-s-cranberry-scones Check out all the recipes. There’s a lime cookie recipe there that’s great and refreshing for summer.
Thanks for this.
I enjoyed the article about reclaiming the North Carolina plantation. I’m interested in all things gardening. And thanks, Leigh, for putting Garden and Gun magazine on my radar. Based on its name I would have ignored it had I heard of before, I think. Now I’ve ordered a subscription! It’s not a gardening magazine, per they’re description they are a “is a lifestyle brand….that covers the best of the South, including the sporting culture, the food, the music, the art, the literature, the people and their ideas.”
P.S. I’d love to read a full length book about these 2 role model women and their endeavors. And really about their whole life story. And I want to visit Catawba Trail Farm.
I can’t say that I’ve read Garden & Gun all that often but I was so happy I came across this particular article. If I lived closer to North Carolina, I’d be figuring out a way to visit Catawba!
Hubby and I love their essays on dogs, almost always makes me tear up!
Since you enjoy romance books, I share a new authir I enjoy: Heather Hallman. She studied anthropology and now lives in Japan with her family. Her romances take place in historical Japan during the late 1880’s. Heather won a RWA regional prize from the Chesapeake chapter which started her publication journey for her trilogy set in Tokyo. Funny, steamy romances will keep you turning pages.
Leigh, I so enjoyed the deep dives into Lost and Top Chef, two shows I’ve been a big fan of over the years. It was disappointing to read what a toxic workplace Lost was because I so enjoyed the show. It was fun to read about Top Chef and how it grew over the years.
Good link choices!
Glad you enjoyed them, Jan! Did you see the news that Padma Lakshmi is stepping down from Top Chef? It’s hard to imagine the show without her.
If you really want the very best ever Blueberry Muffins, check out this link. I’ve made these for years and they live up to their name! http://www.barbarabakes.com/best-blueberry-streusel-muffins. The streusel is very easy and luxurious finish! Enjoy