Hello and happy Friday! What are you up to this weekend? We’re looking forward to enjoying some cooler weather here in Louisville, going to a dance performance, and helping our college kids unpack now that everyone’s home—including the one who spent the semester in Germany. And I’ll spend many hours poring over our 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide as part of our thorough proofreading process, which may sound like a pesky chore but is actually pretty darn fun.
The 2024 MMD Summer Reading Guide drops May 16!
We’re releasing our THIRTEENTH 2024 Guide on Thursday, May 16 at 9:00am EDT, which means we are in full countdown mode around here! I share the pertinent details in this short video. (Y’all, my first attempt at a “short video” went 13 minutes: apparently I can talk about the SRG all day long! I’m happy to tell you the video below is less than half that long.)
I hope you’ll watch the video. Highlights are shared below!
- Purchase the Guide and Unboxing access a la carte
- Join our MMD Book Club community
- Support our What Should I Read Next Patreon
- Our Unboxing party is a joyous 90+ minute live video event where I tell you about all 42 new-for-2024 titles in the guide and why I chose each one, plus answer reader questions about theme, tone, and content so you can load up your summer TBR with the titles that are right for YOU. If you have guide access, you have Unboxing access—plus the replay to watch anytime.
- Not sure which community to join, or if you’d rather choose a la carte access? We walk you through the options at our SRG online hub.
- The MMD Minimalist Summer Reading Guide will appear on the blog as a blog post on May 16. This year’s Minimalist Guide has 8 great titles—my very favorite summer reads (so far)—and it’s completely free and available to all.
New news: you can now gift the Guide! Y’all have asked for this and we finally figured it out: if you have a friend who would enjoy the MMD Summer Reading Guide and live Unboxing event, click here to gift them a la carte access.
It’s the last day to preorder your summer gear!
Today is the last day to preorder some of our new bookish merch for Summer Reading Guide season. Read in style with our stickers and soft, cozy t-shirts and sweatshirts. Our merch shop is full of the perfect picks for any reader.
I try on our apparel on video here, or click here for a quicker photo version of our three new designs (In the above video I’m also wearing our Women’s Mid-Length Sweatshirt in Heather Blue Lagoon, size medium).
Preorders close today, May 10. We’ll have a limited quantity stocked after this preorder period. We encourage you to order by today to make sure you are able to grab the size and color you want!
My favorite finds from around the web:
How the Met Gala Ushered in This Theme-Dressing Moment. (So Many Thoughts substack) “It is the Super Bowl of red carpets. I don’t think there’s anything that tops it, not even close.”
Were We Always Wrong About Bottled Citrus Juice? (Taste) I feel so validated: I’m keeping a running list of little things I’m loving to share with you soon and Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime Juice is on it!
Live from Word of South: the books we can’t stop recommending. (What Should I Read Next) I brought home live audio to share with you from my recent travels! Favorite comment from Sue: “Gosh, I really loved this episode! We got to know “friend” Anne and “spouse” Anne, as opposed to professional book recommender Anne.”
Book Bans Are Surging in Florida. So Lauren Groff Opened a Bookstore. (New York Times gift link) “Part of the appeal of independent bookstores is their careful curation, and booksellers’ ability to recommend titles based on customers’ interests and moods; who better to help you choose your next book than a best-selling novelist who is also a voracious and wide-ranging reader?” (We’re bringing my Word of South conversation with Groff to WSIRN on May 28!)
I’m a fan of these Easy Standard Rib Fitted Scoop Tanks for layering and they’re great—but so are these much cheaper $6 Slim Fit Tank Tops from Target that I found this spring. Mine are white and black (size L, though I could have gone M for a snugger fit) but I’m tempted by the wide array of pretty summer colors.
The world fell in love with Megan Follows as Anne of Green Gables. Now, the ‘innately likeable’ actor makes her long-awaited return to the stage. (Toronto Star) WHY does this article not comment on the fact that she’s playing a character named Di in this production? (Tell me you get what I’m saying!)
The Dumbphone Boom Is Real. (The New Yorker) “After almost two decades with iPhones, the public seems to be experiencing a collective ennui with digital life.”
When I Became a Birder, Almost Everything Else Fell Into Place. (New York Times gift link) “The passing of the seasons feels more granular, marked by the arrival and disappearance of particular species instead of much slower changes in day length, temperature and greenery. I find myself noticing small shifts in the weather and small differences in habitat. I think about the tides.”
A Conversation with Louise Erdrich. (The Paris Review) A rich conversation between Erdrich and Sterling HolyWhiteMountain.
Huevos Rancheros is a brunch favorite around here; this recipe is legit. (NYT Cooking gift link)
Take a vicarious trip with these novels set on planes, trains, and automobiles. (MMD) Our new transportation-minded novel book list features literary fiction, thriller, historical fiction, romance, and more!
My Therapist Is A TikTok Star. (Bustle) “Is she talking about me?” Interesting perspectives but I wouldn’t want my therapist to be a social media star!
Aysgarth: Ex-youth hostel filled with 120,000 books put on sale. (BBC) In case anyone feels like moving to North Yorkshire…
How to Plant a Cocktail Garden Full of Flavorful Garnishes for All of Your Drinks. (Martha Stewart) We also love to pop fresh herbs into our omelets and all kinds of vegetable dishes.
Don’t miss these posts:
15 favorite novels about sibling relationships. Sibling bonds are the focus in these novels about complicated families!
10 beauty favorites I use (almost) every day. I look for reliable, dependable products that look good and go on easy so I can keep my morning makeup routine to three minutes or less.
20 novels that will transport you to the shore. If you can’t spend all summer at the beach, why not try a novel that will take you there?
Have a great weekend!
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