It’s a snow day here in Louisville. We got four inches last night—a lot for here—so it almost feels like we’re kicking off the weekend early with gorgeous snowy scenery, cancelled plans, and hot drinks all day. One college kid is already home, one more is on the way later today (fingers crossed for the weather!), so I’m looking forward to baking cookies and working puzzles and holiday movies galore.
I hope you have something lovely to look forward to these next few days, and that this collection of interesting reads and favorite things helps ease you into that weekend frame of mind—wherever you are in the world, and however the weather finds you.
My favorite finds from around the web:
I offer gift links for articles whenever possible (you may still need to create an account with the publication); if there’s no gift link and you’re not a subscriber, check to see if your library carries the publication or use a bookmarking service.
That Personalized Email About Loving and Marketing Your Book Is a Scam. (Electric Lit) As we shared last week, we’ve heard from multiple authors that scammers continue to impersonate me and Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club. The scammers are using multiple email addresses, including [email protected], and darn it if their emails don’t include my photo, our book club logo, and more too-personal info. We’re doing our very best to spread the word, report scammy accounts, and protect everyone involved.
The Claims of Close Reading. (Boston Review) “My students showed me how simple and how hard it can be to notice, to point to a detail that’s really on the page and small enough to fit under your finger.” Fabulous long read.
Lauren Graham and Amy Sherman-Palladino to release ‘Gilmore Girls’ book in 2027. (AP News) An exciting development!
Will and I have been heavily using this Instant Pot milk frother for better coffee drinks at home. (We’d been debating between a fancy espresso machine or an inexpensive upgrade and went with the latter.) It’s perfect for the cozy season. (Though if I could do it again I’d spring for the big one.)
Chloé Zhao Has Looked Into the Void. (The New Yorker) Zhao shares how she became the director of Hamnet and her approach to the adaptation. I loved the book but was thinking about skipping the movie because how could it be anything but emotionally devastating? But now I’m having second thoughts; have you seen it?
What ‘Hamnet’ Lost (and Gained) on the Way From Page to Screen. (New York Times gift link) Two Hamnet links in a row; have I mentioned lately that Maggie O’Farrell is my favorite? Maggie on Chloé Zhao: “I think she put a spell on me because by the end of the call, I had not only agreed to write it with her, but I’d agreed to write the first pass in a month or two.” This whole conversation between the author and director Chloé Zhao made me smile fondly: I love these two together.
My favorite audiobooks of 2025. (MMD) Seven superlatives from a wonderful listening year. (And comments full of wonderful ideas for your next listen.)
The New Hollywood Must-Have? The Status Ghostwriter. (ELLE) “There are so many assumptions made about celebrity books before anyone even cracks the spine—that they didn’t write a word of it, for one—and partnering with a ‘serious’ writer with a reputation of their own signals to the audience that you’ve produced a real book worth reading, not just a piece of merch to store on the shelf.”
A new way to think about your reading in the coming year. (What Should I Read Next?) I LOVE how freaking tough this (deceptively simple) alphabet reading scheme is, and the way readers are rising to the challenge in comments!
An Ode to the Lap Desk. (MMD) Ginger writes about her “emotional support lap desk” for our Raving Fans series.
The 2025 Netflix Christmas Movies, Reviewed. (Glamour) Have you watched any of these yet? We’re looking for holiday movie ideas!
Edelweiss Price Hike Roils Industry. (Publishers Weekly) Last year private equity bought a key bookseller tool: “Following the acquisition, ATL began implementing price increases on publishers to use Edelweiss, and those rate hikes are having repercussions throughout the entire industry.” I use Edelweiss heavily for my work and am paying close attention to these developments.
My daughter wants to make these Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies a Bogel Christmas staple. So good, even though I’m about to throw a bunch of caveats at you. First I had a hard time getting the bake right; my marshmallows kept dissolving due to overbaking. (The cookies were still delicious, but I wanted to SEE the fluffy marshmallow.) What worked was freezing the assembled cookie dough balls and baking directly from the freezer for much less time than I expected: 8 minutes total in my calibrated oven. I also halved the cayenne to accommodate our family members with lower heat tolerance.
A Non-Exhaustive List of Specialty Cookbook Stores. (The Ekus Group) This is written with authors in mind but it’s a good resource for anyone interested in culinary-forward bookstores.
Don’t miss these posts:
20 riveting wilderness mystery and suspense novels. These gripping tales about detectives, park rangers, and hikers are perfect for enjoying indoors, preferably in front of a cozy fireplace.
13 skincare favorites for winter weather. Nothing makes me pay more attention to my skin than winter weather. (I’ve deliberately gone light on gift guide-y stuff because I’m personally overwhelmed, but I’ll just quietly say that if you’re already inclined to shop, Sephora and Ulta both have sales on through 12/14. Save 20% at Sephora with the code SAVEGIFTS and save $10 off $40 or $20 off $100 at Ulta with the code CHEER.
Best book you’ve never heard of on … getting over it. Read this book for your sake and for the sake of those around you.
Have a great weekend!
