Tidbits

• Totally dug this piece on Book Girls.  What are book girls? Probably you, if you are a woman and reading this, which probably means you're also a friend of mine, 6 readers.   Otherwise, read the article.  But I particularly liked this:
  "The Book Girls are only partly real; like most heavily marketed-to demographics, they only sort of exist. Every Book Girl is something else, too – a sportsy girl, a scientist, a nail-art aficionado, a poet, a prodigy, a patient. But the force they are exerting is real. They have created a market for what they love, and they insist upon it. ...They have allies in boyfriends and boy friends, in parents and other adults, in librarians and book critics. The world of their books is much more complicated than just them, and they are more complicated than just their books."
  This article makes me both proud of the passionate young and not so young female readers out there; the parallel between pop teen music fandom (well, the Beatles, but you know!) and the current YA fandom is not an imagined one.  It does make me wonder what, and how, we can create as literate and impassioned Book Boys!
  
• Many couples have creative weddings. Not many people get married by a guy who bears a striking resemblance to Snape, Snape, Severus Snape...
  
• Dabs, how am I not shocked that one of your favorite childhood books is called The Man Eater?  
  
• This is a new series that would be after my Indian in the Cupboard lovin' heart.
  
• Well, behold, the creepiest (yet coolest) cake I've wanted to eat.
  
• Thank you for doing this highly scientific analysis of the best way to sit while reading a book, BookRiot.  I see you left off a big one though: leg thrown over side of armchair, glass of wine in hand. 90% of the time, this is how I want to be 100% of the time.

Tidbits

Misc/Travel:

• In causes near and dear to my heart, the San Juan del Sur Biblioteca is expanding, and you, me, and all of us can help.  In my humble opinion, the SJDSB is the best library south of mine.  You can read about my experiences there here.   
• Stairways to heavenly art (having visited, I can assure you that Valparaiso, Chile's street and stair art is really all that).  
• I LOVE LEGOS. 
• Umm...Trader Joes, you have my heart, but more importantly, you have my stomach.
• The Fug Girls did some awesome coverage of the NFL Draft.  Basically all you need to know is this: "Ha Ha Clinton-Dix's name is not so funny when he's playing against your team and they JUST KEEP CALLING IT, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, because he is juicing your entire team and smearing the pulp on the field. Does that collar look crazy enormous, though? Like he's wearing a toilet seat?"  Serious question: how do they get the jerseys they hold up ready in time?! 

Books: 

• Kids who read good learn good.  Moral of the story: if you want good kids, read to them and then make sure they keep reading when they can read to you!  
• The miniature book of majors. 
• Well played at creating literate sailors, US Navy!  
• I love Jaclyn Moriarty's books.  Ergo, I enjoyed this interview with her.  
• Like to play, cold?  This is definitely the coolest scavenger hunt I've heard of.  Well played on getting people into libraries, Coldplay!
• Looking to kill some time?  Here is a list of 25 Tumblrs for readers.  
• I love books. I love wine. I love it when they harmoniously unite to blow my mind. I'm looking at you, Battery Park Exchange in Asheville, NC!  More book stores need to ride this wave, and soon!  
• I don't really see being addicted to YA as much of a struggle so much as a badge of honor, but hey.  Why not?  
• Behold: the most brilliant picture book in all the lands. 
• The name says it all:  Novel-teas.  (See also: great gifts for librarians or other book nerds, ahemhem)

Movies:

• I was unaware there was going to be a Goosebumps the movie.  But I'm in, because Jack Black is. 
• I too now suspect that Divergent is actually about cross fit.  Speaking of, no need to see the movie OR read the book.  These four (FOUR) kids break it down, middle school style.  
• Old but news? Eleanor and Park gets optioned. 
• Here are some trailers for you:  
• I'm aMazed by this Maze Runner trailer, because it might be better than what I thought - maybe even better than the book.  Thoughts?
  
  
• And oh yes...you thought you'd get by with no Outlander references?  You thought DEAD wrong.  Behold the newest trailer, which features the highest ratio of shirtless Jamie YET.  (PS.  Save the date, premiere is August 9th!  My place or yours?)

Half Bad, by Sally Green: Wholly Good

Half Bad

Sally Green

Viking: New York, 2014.

ISBN: 978-0670016785

ARC provided by publisher on NetGalley

Imagine a young British man with magical powers.  He is unique, monitored by his government for it, parentless, and disliked by most members of his family.  His name?  It's not Harry.  In this magical title, the grit is grittier, the dark darker, and the protagonist less of a crowd pleaser than in a certain other series about a young wizard.  Nathan a half code - the only person to have Black and White witch parentage.  He is consequently constantly monitored and tracked by the powerful White witches, whose ministry places ever tightening restrictions upon half codes.  In this England, White witches fear and hunt all Black witches.  Nathan's White witch mother is dead, and his at-large father is the most powerful Black witch alive.  As the edicts become more and more austere, Nathan is placed in a cage somewhere in the Welsh wilderness, and his family and the girl he loves - a forbidden White witch - punished for associating with him.  This gripping first in Green's new series is a start to finish, high stakes adrenaline rush, where good and evil aren't just that.  Thought it will appeal to fans of a certain other English wizard, it is much more gritty, crass, and violent, and is recommended to older teens and adults.  

Any more words seem unnecessary, and will slow you down in your quest to acquire and commence your magical reading experience.  It is one of the books I've most enjoyed reading in 2014.  You will not be able to put this one down.  Get at it, yesterday, team.

One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories, by BJ Novak

One More Thing
BJ Novak
Knopf: New York, 2014
ISBN: 978-0385351836

I don’t read a lot of short stories, for no other reason, I suppose than it not being habit, though I do appreciate a shorter format every now and then.  When I came upon BJ Novak’s book, I knew I had to give it a crack.  This is the guy who wrote for The Office, after all!  Plus – we’re from the same hometown (badass Newton, Mass.)  Now, bear with for a moment.  Though I totally loved reading this book,  I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to having moments I did not totally love, due to Novaks occasional moments of awkward cringe and wince humor, much like on The Office.  The stories in this book are truly zeigeist works.  Novak aptly embraces and skewers a whole American generation (as well as those generations on both sides) – which perhaps causes those awkward, hard, societally introspective looks that caused me to wince in recognition. His stories entertain as he speaks truth through fiction, and he explores what seem to be generationally pervasive themes like hopefulness, dissatisfaction, selfishness, altruism, searching for self and love, the precarious balance between apathy and excitement, and the pervasive obsession with socializing through the Internet.  

Red Lentil Soup (Recipe 4)

March guys.  March.  Let’s debrief.  Calling it a rollercoaster is not even a stretch; there were some lows, some sorrows, some craziness, some whirlwind highs, a whole lot of busy, and a really great trip down to see one of my bestest gals: Ms. J.  No, not that Ms. J. 

This Ms. J:

She and I have been buds since 1996, when I walked into my first summer camp cabin and she was there, all braces, curls, and sass.  We lived together in our castle in the clouds after college, and she’s solely responsible for my more guilty ladynerd pleasures. Ahem, ahem, OUTLANDER. Ms. J and I decided it was high time we take our friendship to a new level: honeymoon.  Sure, we’re not married to each other, or at all.  But shouldn’t best galpals get a honeymoon too?  Our ladymoon took us to some excellent eating and watering holes in Durham, NC, Savannah, GA, and Asheville, NC, but one of the most memorable meals was one that Ms. J made my first night in Durham.  

Breaking out alllll the Le Creusets

Her recipe is actually a favorite one of her mom’s, which was obtained at a cooking class at one of their hometown restaurants, Kareem’s.  Kareem’s (and the Ms. J parentals) are located in the fair city of Watertown, MA, made internationally famous for sadder reasons just about one year ago when the Boston Marathon bombing suspects when on the lam and had a dramatic shootout throughout this normally sedate town.  Watertown is home to a ton of delicious Syrian, Albanian, and Lebanese restaurants, and this recipe, adapted from Kareem’s original one, will bring a delicious spoonful of Syria via Watertown right to your own table, wherever you may be.

I did some light adapting, mostly because I am lazy, making it totally vegan, and by using things I had on hand (ie. I was too lazy to squeeze a lemon, so I used the lime juice I was using to make Moscow mules for my guest and I).   It is super quick, super easy, massively delicious, and I’m super glad to report it’ll likely become part of my repertoire for weeknight recipes.  Coincidentally, I am also super glad to have Ms. J as a friend (for more reasons than this recipe, duh).  

Red Lentil Soup (Recipe 4 - Le Creuset Challenge)

Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup

Adapted from an adaptation of Kareem Restaurant’s recipe for Ahmad’s Red Lentil Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups red lentils

½ cup farro, quinoa, or other hearty ancient grain (or a mix)

6 cups water

1 14 oz can lite coconut milk

1 medium onion, minced

2-3 Tbsp coconut oil

6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp ground cumin

2 tsp kosher salt

¼ c fresh lime juice

8 oz fresh spinach

Directions