Celebrating independent bookstores and libraries! Thank goodness for these wonderful spaces for book lovers and communities as a whole. Please share your favorite indie bookstores! Also recapping some April reads and sharing excitement of upcoming books.

Follow me on Instagram to see the mouthwatering meals I’m making and amazing books I’m reading. You can order this book, or any book, using my Bookshop link!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

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What do you do when the truth isn’t something people want to hear, and which some are actively denying? That is one of many questions facing Harry in the fifth installment of the Harry Potter series, Order of the Phoenix. In this episode, I enter the Great Hall with Laura from Mugglecast to serve up the emotional core of the story, shifting dynamics at Hogwarts, and the ways Harry and his friends begin to push back when the system fails them. Expect plenty of thoughts on authority, trust, and why this book hits differently on a reread—plus, of course, some fun along the way.

Recipe: for the gingersnaps! You weill need: ½ cup of softened butter, ½ cup of brown sugar (white sugar for a crispier cookie), an egg, ½ cup of baking molasses, 2 cups of flour, ½ teaspoon salt. 1.5 tsp baking soda, 1.5 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp cloves, and ⅓ cup of granulated sugar. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and molasses until well combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, and cloves. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until combined. Chill the dough in the refrigerator, covered, for 2-3 hours. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Roll the dough into roughly 1-inch balls, roll in the granulated sugar, and place on the baking tray. Bake for 12 minutes and allow to set on the tray for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Small Business Spotlight: If you’re in or near Essex County in NJ, you must check out The Order! Located in downtown South Orange, this cafe serves up brunch with fresh, seasonal ingredients and is clearly owned by Potterheads. Dine on “The Dumbledore” - a breakfast option featuring lots of goodies.

Curious to hear more from Laura? Check out Mugglecast for LOTS of Harry Potter coverage spanning every topic you can think of! You can also hear her talk about current events and life on Millennial.

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kicking off season five with a trip to the faerie lands of A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas—a story that proves one questionable decision in the woods can turn your world upside down. That goes for the characters and the readers. I’m joined by That Team Rhysand Guy, Jon, for a talk about fairy tale vibes, dramatic world-building, suspiciously charming characters, and why communication could solve at least 60% of the problems in this book. Whether you’re a longtime ACOTAR fan or just getting into romantasy, this is the podcast for you!

Book Recommendations: By the Book by Jasmine Guillory, The Kindred’s Curse Saga by Penn Cole.

Recipe: Test your culinary skills with this delicious beef ragu!

Find Jon on Instagram to see more of his booky thoughts and Rhysand love!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month’s bonus features the very first podcast Rachel was ever on. She joined the podcast, Novel Finds, to discuss the remarkable book Remarkably Bright Creatures. Haven’t read it yet? You’re just in time! The movie comes out in May and this is a book you absolutely will not regret picking up.

Want to hear more Novel Finds? Check it out! You can also find the Finds on Instagram.

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last summer I met an author who sold me on her book by drawing a connection to The Vampire Diaries. This month's bonus features that author as we talk about her books, plans for more books, and The Vampire Diaries. Join me and Bree Wilde to hear all about it!

Check out Bree on Instagram @authorbreewilde and find her books here.

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s time to return to the wizarding world of Harry Potter. Breaking down the fourth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, with Barry Watson of Retold: A Harry Potter Podcast. Find it on Spotify, or wherever you listen. You can also follow him on Instagram and YouTube.

Book Recommendations - Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson, Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman, and Powerless by Lauren Roberts.

Recipe: You will need: 2 cans of white beans, an onion, one carrot, 2-3 stalks of celery, 2 small peppers (any color), 1 tsp paprika, dash of salt, ½ tsp thyme or oregano, dash of pepper, 1 tsp parsley flakes. Chop the onion, carrot, and celery into small pieces. Place all ingredients into an instant pot or pressure cooker and add 2-3 cups of water. More water will result in a soupier consistency, less water will result in more of a stew. Give it a stir then set the cook time to 8 minutes. Enjoy with some fresh bread!

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nothing like gathering with friends to share thoughts about books! Want to hear more from the Book Thots? Find them on Spotify, or wherever you listen. You can also check out their website for more info and merch. You can also follow them on Instagram.

We had two recipes for you in this episode. Bonus episode, bonus recipe!

Chocolate cake: Baking is kind of an alchemical process, and some foods really do feel magical! Today we’re whipping up a chocolate cake. You will need 3 cups of flour, 2 cups of sugar, 6 Tbsp of cocoa powder, 2 Tbsp baking soda, 1 tsp of salt, ¾ cup of vegetable oil, 2 Tbsp vinegar, 2 tsp vanilla, and 2 cups of cold water. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make 3 wells. Put each of the first 3 liquids into a separate well. Pour the two cups of water over everything and mix thoroughly. Bake for 50 minutes at 350º F. Enjoy plain or decorate with your favorite frosting!

Sidecar and mocktail:

Mocktail: 1 ounce organ juice. 2 ounces white grape juice. 1.5 tbsp lemon juice. ½ tsp vanilla extract. Orange slice and lemon twist to garnish.

Cocktail: 2 oz cognac or brandy. 1 oz orange liqueur or triple sec. Freshly squeezed lemon juice. Garnish with lemon and orange twist. Superfine sugar for the rim.

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tired of real world news? Blast off with The Menuscript as I share some thoughts and a meal about Pierce Brown’s dystopian sci-fi series, Red Rising. This episode may be served solo but it’s packed with all your favorite episode ingredients, covers two books, and hints at my predictions for the third.

Recipe: You will need: a tube of crescent rolls, a head of broccoli, one cup of shredded cheddar, and salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Roll out the crescent rolls into one large rectangle, pinching together at the seams. Chop up the broccoli and saute on medium heat for about 6 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese all over the crescent rectangle and then scatter on the broccoli, and tomatoes if you decided to add them. Season with salt and pepper. Starting from the bottom, roll up the rectangle and cut into four pieces. Place each piece in a glass baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy on it’s own, or perhaps as a side to grilled chicken, a bowl of soup, whatever you prefer!

Follow me on Instagram here to keep up with all the latest updates and reviews of what I am reading, and the mouth-watering meals I make to accompany them!

Artwork by @stephanieilana

Editor: Alex Schmitz

Song: Clementi Piano Sonatina Op. 36 No. 3 in C Major

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.