The Menuscript

Join us as we sing the praises of Ballad of Falling Dragons ! This was such an epic read and a great followup to When the Moon Hatched . We discuss failed predictions, major revelations, fun theories, and more! Recipe: It’s hot out and that means smoothie season! You will need: frozen watermelon chunks, a kiwi, a spoonful of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt, and possibly more ice or water. Scoop out...

Anyone who has read The Odyssey or seen Season 2 of Percy Jackson knows Circe, the witch on an island who turns men into pigs. But how did she get to that island? Why pigs? What is Circe’s story? That’s what Madeline Miller addresses in her 2018 bestseller, Circe . Dominique del Calzo returns to the kitchen to discuss this fabulous book and fascinating character. Settle in with a snack and prepare...

There’s nothing like a great rom-com book to kick off summer. Who does rom-coms better than Abby Jimenez? Who discusses them better than Sarah Razner? Settle down with a poolside snack for this delicious, nut-free, appetizer! Find Sarah on Goodreads !  Recipe: You will need: a large sweet potato, a tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, rosemary or some other kind of herb that you...

The time has finally come to journey to Middle Earth and break down Lord of the Rings . On a scale of 1-10, this series is an 11. I love the books and the films for so many reasons, and couldn’t resist featuring them in this month’s bonus. Research Methods: using Amazon and Goodreads, I filtered to find 60 4 or 5 star reviews for each of the three Lord of the Rings books. Using R, I did some quali...

Serving up two books for this grand tour of an English manor. We’ll be dining in the gardens and the library (carefully not spilling crumbs) as we serve up The Restoration Garden by Sara Blaydes and The Astral Library by Kate Quinn. Recipe: You will need: ½ a cup of olive oil, ⅓ cup of lemon juice, 2 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dijon mustard, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp paprika, salt and pepper to taste, a...

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 Bo...

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...

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...

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 . Artwo...

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...

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 Powerles...

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...

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...

Books provide an amazing platform for learning about the world. Sara Novic’s True Biz not only tells a great coming-of-age story, but it educates readers on deaf culture, probes thoughts on issues such as accessibility, civil rights, and so much more. Sarah Razner, a fellow author of a coming-of-age novel, returns to the kitchen to break bread over the book.  Recipe for Chicken Tacos: 2 Tbsp...

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” - Jane Austen ( Pride and Prejudice ) Such a true line, and such a great book! While we’re talking about Persuasion and its modern day retelling Anne of Avenue A , I couldn’t resist this booky quo...

Merry Christmas! We don’t need Hercule Poirot to help us solve the mystery of why this is one of the greatest days of the year. What we do need him for is a Christmas murder! Here to discuss Hercule Poirot’s Christmas is Dominique del Calzo. Link to Dominique’s books . 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...

From page to stage! What does it take to bring a bestselling novel to a Broadway stage? Or to stages around the country. Joining me in the kitchen to discuss Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is Connor Sullivan, the actor currently portraying August in the national tour.  Find out where you can see Water for Elephants by checking out the tour schedule.  Follow me on Instagram here to kee...

I needed reinforcements for the Maasterful book that is Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood . Enter Tori and Emily of Spilling Wine and Spoilers! But don’t worry, no major spoilers here. We chat about this incredible book, and world, created by the incomparable Sarah J. Maas.  Recipe: It’s soup season! Warm up and host a crowd with this delicious chicken and rice soup.  https://ifood...

Good news! No one is dead, but I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore! Tune in for a bonus episode to discuss the musical phenomenon Wicked and why it means so much to me, and to many others.  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...

The podcast series that is immortal! Emily rejoins me in the kitchen to discuss Immortality by Dana Schwartz, the sequel to Anatomy from the deep dive episodes served up in September. Get ready to reenter Hazel’s world and get all of your questions from the ending of Book One answered! Recipe: Ready for some roast brussel sprouts? These would be a great side on your Thanksgiving table! Or any time...

The journey to Olympus may not be as far as you think! You just have to get to the Empire State Building. And not get killed by monsters. Good thing we’ve got the perfect guide book - The Lightning Thief , the first book in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. Featuring Mike Shubert of the hit podcast The Newest Olympian, we steal away into this electrifying book blending mytholo...

Trick or treat! It’s Halloween and we’re getting spooky! This month’s bonus episode features Rachel Gillig’s gothic fantasy, One Dark Window . Magic, mist, mystery, a sinister forest - this book has everything you need for a page-turner that won’t also leave you shivering in fear.  Recipe: You will need: a box of your favorite brownie mix, whatever amount of eggs it calls for (probably one or...

It's an author chat episode! I sit down with debut fantasy author, Jo Fischer to talk about her brand new novellas and upcoming novel. We also talk about the bookish community, finding ourselves in books, and cosplay to bring these characters to life. Eager to read these incredible novellas? Order Whispers of the Wylde Court and The War Between Us today! Learn more about Jo, her cosplay appearance...

Welcome back to the kitchen! The Menuscript is back for its fourth season and we are starting the season with a trip to the Underworld. In this episode, I serve up an appetizer on Katabasis by RF Kuang. This was quite the read, and well worth the wait.  Godel’s Theorem: The first incompleteness theorem states that no consistent system of axioms whose theorems can be listed by an effective pro...

It's the final course of the Anatomy deep dive! Will this be a scrumptious dessert or a serving of ice cream made with salt instead of sugar? Tune in to find out. Book recommendations from the acknowledgements: The Butchering Art by Lindsey Fitzharris, The Royal Art of Poison by Eleanor Herman, Dr. Mutter's Marvels by Cristin O'Keefe, The Knife Man by Wendy Moore, and The Lady and Her Monsters by...