Important Announcement:

This is the last month I'll be hosting the What I'm Into linkup. I've been writing these posts for around eight years now and hosting the linkup for almost six. This past year it's been harder and harder to make sure everything is ready on time. I don't know that I'll stop writing these posts completely, as I do enjoy having a record of what life looked like each month. But I need to not have a deadline for it anymore. Thank you so much to everyone who has linked up with me! It's been a fun ride. And if you've enjoyed writing these posts, please continue! Just because there isn't a linkup doesn't mean you need to stop recording your months.

I've felt pretty constantly behind on everything all month, mostly stemming from being out of town for over two weeks, but it was completely worth it.  This is going to be an abbreviated version of What I'm Into because that's all I've got time for, which is a shame because August packed in a whole lot of awesome.

Read and Reading 
 

Trail Of Lightning (Roanhorse)  was seriously amazing! The Sixth World series centers on Dinétah (a former Navajo reservation) after flooding wiped out most of the world. It's an #ownvoices Native post-apocalyptic story and the incredible world-building had me hooked. Maggie the Monsterslayer was such a fierce, prickly character and I really appreciated the way she grew through the course of the story. She experienced major loss and hardship but she also needed to make sense of who she was, as someone who now has the god-gifted ability to kill monsters. It brought up a lot of questions about good and evil, identity, and who monsters are, beyond the monsters Maggie tracks in this particular novel. Kai was an intriguing character in his own right. I kept trying to get a read on him and his intentions but he kept me guessing the whole time. There were so many great side characters, plus the way Coyote and immortal monsterslayer Neizghání figured into the plot. When I reached the end, I immediately wanted to dive into book two. What an ending! I absolutely have to know what will happen next to Maggie and her crew.

Darius The Great Is Not Okay (Khorram) is going on my Favorite YA list for 2018! I adored this book so much. Full review coming up soon.

The Luckiest Lady In London is so angsty, so wonderful. I'm a complete Sherry Thomas convert! I loved every part of how she built this story and let her characters serve as foils for one another and then something more.

I am the wimpiest of wimpy readers. I will read the occasional thriller but I don’t read scary books and I rarely read about serial killers. But when I read a few friends’s rave reviews about Bone Music (Rice), I was intrigued. The daughter of serial killers gets super powers and decides to hunt down a serial killer?? I decided I needed to get out of my comfort zone and read it. This was A+ decision-making! This was an impeccably plotted, well-paced page turner of a sci-fi thriller. It’s intense (hence, I had to read it in one day) and disturbing in places but more because of how Rice builds our dread than the actual content. Although, to be clear, characters do some messed up things too. I don't want to say more than that because I think you'll appreciate the storytelling so much more the less you know going in. The twists really elevated the story and I cannot wait to see how he develops this as a series.

You can see all the books I've read at Goodreads. 

Currently reading: Hot Mess (Belden), The Library: A Catalogue Of Wonders (Kells),  The Line Becomes A River: Dispatches From The Border (Cantú), Tear Me Apart (Ellison),  Hold Me Down (Woods), I'd Rather Be Reading (Bogel), No One Tells You This (MacNicol), Hope Never Dies: An Obama Biden Mystery (Shaffer), A Study In Scarlet Women (Thomas)

Highlights:  

• Lindsay from Pen And Paint kindly sent me the Currently Reading tote she recently added to her shop. I'm a HUGE fan of her work and may or may not have told her she should add some bookish products. This tote is seriously amazing! Great design, first and foremost, but the bag itself is really sturdy and well constructed. I haven't used anything else since it arrived.

• Getting to see my niece and nephew who are the cutest children ever. My niece was a little shy when she first saw me but shortly after proclaimed to everyone, "Aunt Leigh is here!" and this is why I'm going to let her do anything she wants.

• I spent two weeks in Nashville and it was glorious. It's been almost a year since I last visited, over three years since I moved away, and it'll always feel like home.

• I'm author JT Ellison's executive assistant and we got to run around town getting stuff ready for the release of her latest standalone thriller Tear Me Apart. It was so fun to finally meet in person! And now her book is out in the world and I'm so glad I got to play a small part of that.

• I saw Lisa Scottoline and Adib Khorram speak at Parnassus Books. They have such good events and I'm glad I was in town for both of these.

• I traded a whole bunch of books at McKay and found some great finds in return. I miss that place.

• Taco Mamacita with the family I used to nanny for. C recently had a birthday so I gave her the first Ramona book and as soon as she finished eating, she started reading it. I've never been more proud.

• Favorite places with friends: Fido with Tracy, BurgerUp with Allison, Star Bagel with Valerie, brunch at Chauhan with Jennifer (the only place I hadn't been to before and it's amazing), Pinewood Social with Alece, Edley's with Lesley Ann and then with Crystal, Frothy Monkey with Jen, bar.taco with Amanda

• Conversations so good, you forget to take pictures together with almost everyone. Luckily, Amanda and I took the photo first, then let the conversation carry us away.

• Doughnuts from Five Daughters and all the fruit tea from Star Bagel

• Walking to the library with my niece-in-love. I'm so glad she still wants to spend one on one time with me! 

• My nephew-in-love poking his head around the corner trying to "scare" me. He cracks me up!

• Just getting to be at my second home in Nashville aka my best friend's house. So good to be with Tracy, Joel, and the kids like old times. Tracy and I took photos together with my novel because a) I dedicated it to her and b) I wrote more than half of it while sitting on her window seat. Her support means so much.

• Tracy got me dairy-free ice cream from KoKo's and it was AMAZING. The best dairy-free ice cream I've ever had. We got cherry, avocado banana, chocolate, and mint chip.

• I stayed with Anne and her family on my way back to the Twin Cities and it was so good to catch up. Her new book I'd Rather Be Reading comes out tomorrow! I'm so proud of her.

Favorite Instagram:

#partner 🍩 I don’t always match my book to my doughnut...but I am pretty excited to start reading Designer You (thank you for the free copy, @tlcbooktours!) It explores grief and discovering what you’re capable of with the backdrop of DIY home renovations, blogs, and podcasts. If you listened to my last appearance on @whatshouldireadnext, you’ll know why this novel is right up my alley.

(You can read my review of DESIGNER YOU here.) 

(If you want to follow me on Instagram, my user name is leighkramer.)

What I'm Into Link Up Guidelines:

1. This link-up will stay open for one week. In case you missed the note above: this is the last month I'll be hosting What I'm Into.

2. Link the unique URL of your post, not your blog's home page. Readers peruse link ups months after the fact and you want to make it easy for them to find your What I'm Into post.

3. Please include the What I'm Into button or mention you're linking up with What I'm Into at Leigh Kramer.

4. Visit at least 2 other posts in the linkup!

What have you been into this month? 

Disclosure: Affiliate links included in this post. If you click through, any purchase you make supports this site.

I spent two weeks in my hometown, which included the 4th of July parade, and capped off the month by moving to a new, temporary home, courtesy of my friend's guest room. It's been an interesting summer, to say the least. 

Read and Reading 

 I can't stop marveling over the mastery of the storytelling in Children Of Blood And Bone (Adeyemi). Hands down it’s one of the best YA Fantasy novels I’ve ever read. From page one, the world-building and character growth was unparalleled. It’s fast-paced but it never felt like too much. I needed to know where it was all headed and whether certain characters would be redeemed. There were so many passages and arcs that are relevant for us, that resonated and gave me hope. Zélie, Amari, Tzain, and Inan captivated all my waking thoughts until that heart-racing cliffhanger ending. I need March to be here so I can dive into book 2! I have no idea where Tomi Adeyemi will take this series but I’ll be there every step of the way. I buddy read this with the lovely Chelsea and I highly recommend having someone at the ready for discussion. You will want to talk about this one! Definitely a favorite of 2018.

Women of Color writing fantasy is where it’s at! I absolutely loved the fantasy romance Song Of Blood & Stone (Penelope). Jasminda was such a richly nuanced character and I loved her heart for other people. Jack was just as complex and it was fascinating to watch him carry his burdens while trying to figure out how to be the best leader. There were so many twists and turns and I didn't always know what the right call would be. And of course, I loved watching Jasminda and Jack fall for one another, despite the odds against them. They took such good care of each other and their strengths complimented one another. I loved the way Penelope addressed the plight of the Lagrimari refugeees and the varying response from Elsiran officials. There are so many parallels to the US right now, it's uncanny. There's so much we can learn from well written fantasy if we have ears to hear. I cannot wait for book 2 to come out!

Thirsty (Hopkins) was as wonderful as I heard it was! In fact, it's easily one of the best contemporary romances I've read this year. Sal was such a captivating character and having only his POV as the narrator just plain worked. We meet him shortly after he was released from prison and watching him navigate his new life, which includes avoiding his old gang, working two part-time jobs, and trying to figure out where he belongs in the neighborhood, was gripping. I could see how hard Sal was working and how the odds were stacked against him, particularly as a Person of Color- the whole system is stacked against ex-cons but especially so for PoC. When Vanessa, his long-time crush, gives him a chance, I so badly wanted them to make it work. Vanessa was strong and determined and a great balance for Sal. She doesn't trust him at first and it was wonderful to see her wariness melt away over time. They were so good together but the pressures working against Sal were always lurking in the background and I had no idea what decisions he would make. The story veers away from stereotypes and I was really impressed with the Latinx representation (although, to be clear, I'm saying this as a white woman. I will defer to Latinx reviewers in this regard.) I loved how the neighborhood was portrayed. There's such a strong sense of place and community and belonging. Vanessa and Sal stay where they grew up because this is where their friends and family are and it's a vibrant place, even if it has problems. The character growth was tremendous and you'd better believe the ending made me tear up. I loved this one so much!!

I haven't had a chance to gather my thoughts regarding A Conspiracy Of Whispers (Harper) yet but I'm still flailing from how good it was! I just cannot get over how she built the story and the writing was perfect and gah so happy. Between this and Taylor Brooke's Fortitude Smashed, I guess I'm a fan of sci-fi romance now! Now to figure out what to read next in that subgenre...

Mariana was another enthralling Kearsley novel! I love how her stories play with the paranormal and intuition. I’ve never believed in the concept of past lives or perhaps I should say I never understood it. But Mariana’s story turned out to be a rather compelling argument. I loved figuring out who the present day characters were in their past lives! And I absolutely adored watching Julia find a home and community in a small British town. The resolution was perfect and I closed the book with a smile on my fave and a sense of satisfaction in my heart.



This Is Where You Belong (Warnick), a blend of memoir and research exploring how to feel at home where you live, gave me so much to think about. I really appreciated Warnick’s exploration of what helps us feel at home in a place and what we can do to cultivate that feeling, as well as how our personality can impact it. Some of it seemed common sense but I think we could all do with a refresher course on how to better embrace your community—even if you’re like me and know you’re not where you’re supposed to be. Warnick is writing from a fairly privileged perspective so your mileage may vary in terms of takeaways. But I’m really glad I read it, especially as I consider where my next home will be.

You can see all the books I've read at Goodreads. 

Currently reading: Hot Mess (Belden), The Library: A Catalogue Of Wonders (Kells),  The Line Becomes A River: Dispatches From The Border (Cantú), Darius The Great Is Not Okay (Khorram), Tear Me Apart (Ellison), Trail Of Lightning (Roanhorse)

Podcasts:

I am almost done listening to the first season of Slow Burn, all about the Watergate scandal. It is uncanny and terrifying how relevant it is for us. Highly recommended.

Pantsuit Politics is doing a deep dive into 9/11: The Day.

I haven't had a chance to finish watching Hannah Gadsby's Netflix comedy special Nanette yet (how does it take me more than a month to watch a show I really want to watch?!) but I really appreciated the discussion on Pop Culture Happy Hour with Kumail Nanjiani and the larger implications for the comedy world.

Highlights:  

• A publicist loved my idea for a client- such validation!

• Lunch at Egglectic with Junice 

• I have very complicated feelings about the 4th of July and America and patriotism but when it comes down to it, there's nowhere I'd rather be on the 4th than my hometown. I love our parade and seeing what businesses will do for their floats this year and cheering for the high school bands and making sure PFLAG and the county Democrats knows at least one person in the crowd is glad they're there (very happy more and more people cheer for them each year.) I sat with my best friend and her family and it was so hot but so worth it.

• Burger Social with my old friend Keith! It's been several years since we'd last seen each other and it was so fun to catch up in person. He was one of my close friends in high school and there's nothing like a friend who's known you that long and seen how far you've come. I'm grateful when friends can evolve together and when it doesn't matter how many years have passed, it's just like you were chatting in art class yesterday. Plus, I got to introduce Keith to the magic of fried pickles! He's a convert now.

• Erin and I walked about town and then got drinks at Burger Social. What can I say? They make a mean Old Fashioned! Our pal Mike, who bartends there, talked me into trying it with top shelf liquor this time and I was very impressed. We got to sit on the roof and it was pretty perfect.

• My darling friend Sharone was in the process of moving across the country, which meant the fates aligned and I got to see her! Sharone, Jesse, and I had a late dinner at Luong-Loi and it wasn't nearly long enough to talk about all the things but it was nevertheless wonderful.

• The annual family reunion! It was really great catching up with everyone as always but this year was extra fun because a few of my cousins brought their copies of A STORIED LIFE for me to sign and my uncle announced my novel during the announcements. (Yes, our reunion is big enough to require announcements and name tags.) One of my cousins put her copy of the book on the sign in table so she and her sisters could tell everyone about it. It was so meaningful and unexpected! 

• Taking over Market Cafe with Laura, Ellie, and Heather. It's been ages since the four of us have been all together- I usually see them in some combination when I'm back home but not all at the same time- and it was just the literal best. Heather decided we needed to have a Naperville photo shoot and we now have pictures of us all over town. There may even be one of me posing with a horse statue.

• Ellie helped me brainstorm my next novel. I've known the beginning and the end for months but that pesky middle has been trickier and this session gave me a few solid ideas.

• My best friend's kiddos have been asking me to sleep over for months, if not years, and we finally made it happen. I sent Erin and Mark off on a date and the kids and I had a fun evening together. I babysat K when she was a baby before I moved away but I've never watched both of them before and I'm so glad it finally happened. I love being their auntie!

• My old roommate Jen and I were almost ships in the night but she got into town for a visit right before I left so we grabbed breakfast together. It's always so good to catch up in person!

• Marijke and I went to Once Upon A Crime and Magers & Quinn, which are always lovely to browse. I didn't buy any books but my wish list grew longer!

• I got together with a bookstagram pal who just moved to the Twin Cities! Caitlin is a fellow romance reader and it was so fun to trade recommendations in person at Spyhouse Coffee. We might have to start a romance book club!

• Moving is never fun but my new temporary guest room has wall to wall bookshelves! A huge perk, though I am not keeping all of my books out.

• Libib, a website and app that sync. You can scan (or manually enter if there isn't a barcode to scan) your entire personal library and have a digital record! You can add all kinds of tags after you've scanned them- I'm just doing read, unread, fiction, nonfiction. I'm geeking out over it! No more wondering if I already own something when I'm at a used bookstore or trying to remember which series are incomplete. 

Favorite Instagram:

A few of my favorite novels that belong to what I call the bibliophile genre. They’re about book nerds, whether they work at a bookstore or deeply love the written word. I can’t get enough of this genre! Tell me your favorites because I’m always looking for more...

(If you want to follow me on Instagram, my user name is leighkramer.)

On The Blog:

A STORIED LIFE at the Library! (If your library orders my novel, let me know and I'll update this list!) 

Book Reviews: The Late Bloomers' Club 

What I'm Into Link Up Guidelines:

1. This link-up will stay open for one week. The next What I'm Into link up will be Monday September 3. 

2. Link the unique URL of your post, not your blog's home page. Readers peruse link ups months after the fact and you want to make it easy for them to find your What I'm Into post.

3. Please include the What I'm Into button or mention you're linking up with What I'm Into at Leigh Kramer.

4. Visit at least 2 other posts in the linkup!

What have you been into this month? 

Disclosure: Affiliate links included in this post. If you click through, any purchase you make supports this site.

Book release bouquets 

June 2018 will forever go down as one of the most magical months of my life. My debut novel A STORIED LIFE went out into the world! I'm officially a novelist and also officially researching my next book. The reviews have been really positive and nothing beats hearing how much my story has resonated with someone. It's even better than I dreamed!

Read and Reading 

Susanna Kearsley’s novels build in the loveliest ways. I loved the way The Rose Garden examined Eva’s grief after the death of her sister and the way her found family took care of her. Plus, time travel! And intrigue! And a tea house that I wish was real so I could visit! Every part of this novel just plain worked for me.

I inhaled The Kiss Quotient! Could not put it down. Definitely a favorite contemporary romance of 2018! I just adored this one. It gave me so many feels. I still can’t believe this was Helen Hoang’s debut! I loved how she built her story. Stella and Michael were incredibly endearing characters. I loved how kind they were to one another and how they looked out for each other. Autistic econometrician heroine and Vietnamese-Caucasian escort hero- what’s not to love about this set up?! They have so much to teach one another. (Note: I’m neurotypical so I can't speak to the autism representation but this is an #ownvoices book.) 

Stalking Jack The Ripper (Maniscalco) lived up to all the buzz! I raced through this novel in a few hours, all because of the incomparable Audrey Rose. I loved that she cared about forensics as much as she cared about quality dresses. They’re not mutually exclusive and caring about how you look isn’t a negative, as she capably demonstrated. The mystery itself was creepy in the best ways- albeit bloodier than my typical books- and made me very glad I don’t live in Victorian-era London. The twists and turns kept me captivated, even though I guessed the big twist. It was such a compelling read, especially because of the character development and the way Audrey Rose chafed against societal expectations while defying them. However, as much as I loved Audrey Rose, I often wanted to strangle her. If there’s a serial killer on the loose, you don’t go to strange neighborhoods by yourself! I know it’s the title of the book but trying to actually stalk Jack the Ripper, especially on one's own, is more than a little naive and reckless. Still, I can't wait to read the next book in the series and see what more develops in her relationship with that dreamboat Thomas.

Librarian romance is my catnip! Bad Bachelor (London) was a fun and surprisingly moving read. It’s not perfect (heads up for bi-erasure) but it was filled with quirky, well-developed characters and backstories that made me want to know more. Reed and Darcy’s banter was on point (always the key to my heart) and I loved watching them go from reluctant colleagues to something more. I couldn’t put it down! 

My reading goal for 2018 is to read a good chunk of my unread books. I decided not to make a TBR stack for June and I have to say the freedom to read whatever unread shelf book I want really agrees with me. I'm not going to designate a TBR stack for July either. Why not?

You can see all the books I've read at Goodreads. 

Currently reading: This Is Where You Belong (Warnick), Hot Mess (Belden), The Library: A Catalogue Of Wonders (Kells),  The Line Becomes A River: Dispatches From The Border (Cantú), Unclaimed (Milan), Children Of Blood And Bone (Adeyemi), Visions Of Heat (this PNR series is so good on audiobook!)

TV

The second season of Queer Eye is here! I've watched two episodes so far, which means I'm two for two on Episodes That Made Me Cry.

I started watching the comedy special Nanette on Netflix. I've been hearing such good things and I'm really impressed so far. I just need more time to watch! 

Music:  

Bad Wolves' cover of Zombie is giving me so much life.

Listen to the What I'm Into playlist.

Podcasts:

Sarah MacLean had two great interviews in support of her new book Wicked And The Wallflower, which I cannot wait to read. Listen to her on The Wicked Wallflowers Club and Heaving Bosoms.

I loved Zoraida Córdova's episode on Write Or Die! I'm a big fan of her Brooklyn Brujas series, which I read this past month. She's also an amazing romance writer.

Really grateful for Pantsuit Politics and their coverage of the families separated at the border.

Pop Culture Happy Hour had a thoughtful episode about Anthony Bourdain's death by suicide. (It's the second half of the Tony Awards And Remembering Anthony Bourdain episode.)

The oh so darling Lucy Parker was on Smart Podcast Trashy Books! It was so fun to hear her voice and learn more about her writing inspiration. She is a delight to follow on Twitter, FYI.

The Bias Series from Smartest Person In The Room has made for interesting listening and I would encourage you to listen to the whole thing if you haven't already. I thought Episode 34: Stop Saying "Down There" was especially compelling.

Highlights:  

• I won a giveaway for Caraval, which I've been meaning to read for ages, and an ARC of Legendary from Paper Fury, one of my favorite bookstagram accounts. I can't wait to read them!

• Drinks on Marijke's porch. Great conversation and the weather was perfect!

• I went back to my hometown in the Chicago suburbs for book release week, which was one of my best decisions. Since I can work from anywhere, I might as well work there! 

• I saw Dhonielle Clayton, Zoraida Córdova, Samira Ahmed, and EK Johnston at Anderson's Bookshop. I loved The Belles, Labyrinth Lost, and Love, Hate & Other Filters, and I was thrilled to have Zoraida sign my copy of Bruja Born and then Samira signed my copy of LHAOF. It was such a great event!

• Running into Laura and Junice at Starbucks! I was taking advantage of the wifi and getting work done when who should appear at my table?! It was so fun catching up.

• Traditional dinner at Portillo's. Even though there's a location or two in the Twin Cities now, I swear it's just better at home.

• Pangaea Joy tea at Cafe K'Tizo. I love the sunny colors of the teapots and this was a delicious chocolatey coconut tea to try!

• Book Release Day!!! This was such a magical day. I wore my dress from Eshakti, which I adored. (The dresses are customizable and have pockets, y'all!) I went to Cafe K'Tizo in the morning and got my pot of tea while I caught up on all the social media mentions and promo stuff. I still cannot get over how the bookstagram and romance communities supported me that day. Plus, all my friends were posting about it. It was so much more than I ever could have hoped for! 

• My best friend Erin and her kids took me out for lunch at Front Street Cantina...but at the Naperville location, since our usual location closed under strange circumstances. Same menu though so I got my usual burrito and was happy as can be. Then I stopped in at Adagio Tea and picked up some Irish Breakfast tea, since it was on the same block.

• Laura, Ellie, and Donna took me out to dinner at Cellar Bistro. We toasted to the book and laughed loud and covered every topic under the sun. It was the best way to celebrate!

• There has been so much positive feedback for A STORIED LIFE! Thank you to everyone who has let me know they've enjoyed reading it. If you wouldn't mind, would you take a minute to leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, or any retailer that carries it? Reviews go so far in helping authors, especially self-published authors like me. Your review, positive or negative, only needs to be a sentence or two and it makes a big difference!

• People are telling me they've requested my novel from their library and their libraries are actually ordering it!! This makes me downright giddy. I'm going to put together a blog post soon listing the libraries I know about so please let me know if your library has it.

• Browsing at Prairie Path Books.

• Burger Social with Heather. She got me balloons! It was so much fun to catch up. Plus, they have the best Old Fashioneds there.

• Mago with Megan. Amazing tableside guacamole and I got a tequila mojito that was perfection. Always so good to see my MFC!

• Cornerstone Used Books. I got into trouble but there were so many books I've been needing to own and wanting to read!

• My hair stylist remembered that my novel was going to be published. She must take notes on her clients or something! I was so touched when she asked about it.

• My dear friend Karin, whom I've known since we were freshman in high school, took me out for lunch at Good Earth and then we went to see the play Underneath The Lintel at Latte Da Theater in Minneapolis to celebrate my book release. It was a great, funny play about a librarian! Unexpectedly meaningful too. Then we got iced tea at Spyhouse Coffee. It was such a wonderful time. She is such a thoughtful friend!

• Highly recommend Lanolips Multipurpose Superbalm if you struggle with chapped lips. It has made a HUGE difference in the past couple of months.

Favorite Instagram:

Breaking News: Woman Takes Library Books With Her On Vacation

Look. Until April I had NEVER traveled with library books and although there are some horror stories out there, many people thought this was silly so I threw caution to the wind and took one on my trip. Which I didn’t even get the chance to read but whatever. The point is the book was fine and I was fine. 

This time around I’m filling my beloved @overduepod tote with not one but three library books because I am wild and carefree! 😂 I’m heading to my hometown to celebrate my book release (ah!!!!!!!) and I cannot wait to be with my people. Do you travel with library books??

Joining @simoneandherbooks to share #awildbookishlife.

(If you want to follow me on Instagram, my user name is leighkramer.)

On The Blog:

Welcome To The World, A Storied Life!

What I'm Into Link Up Guidelines:

1. This link-up will stay open for one week. The next What I'm Into link up will be Wednesday August 1. 

2. Link the unique URL of your post, not your blog's home page. Readers peruse link ups months after the fact and you want to make it easy for them to find your What I'm Into post.

3. Please include the What I'm Into button or mention you're linking up with What I'm Into at Leigh Kramer.

4. Visit at least 2 other posts in the linkup!

What have you been into this month? 

Disclosure: Affiliate links included in this post. If you click through, any purchase you make supports this site.

It took a while but spring really and truly arrived! And now we're pretty much launched into summer but I can't mind the heat too much when it's accompanied by flowers and green leafy trees. On a personal note, I'm sensing more change ahead and I'm ready for it. June marks 3 years since I moved from Nashville to San Francisco. A year ago I was visiting Dublin. This June I'll release my first novel. Who knows where next June will find me?

Read and Reading 

When Dimple Met Rishi (Menon) was as wonderful as everyone said. Why didn’t I get to it sooner?! Dimple and Rishi captured my heart from the start and I could not get enough of the evolution of their relationship. This was a heart-warming, happy read...although it made me cry too because of how strongly I empathized with the characters. It was also refreshing to read a book that got the San Francisco setting right! I can't wait to read From Twinkle, With Love.

Who can resist a story set in a town cursed by witches for two centuries? Not me! I thoroughly enjoyed The Wicked Deep (Ernshaw). It was atmospheric and the right amount of creepy. I could not stop reading and it kept surprising me! Gorgeous writing and I loved how layered the characters were.

The Beauty That Remains (Woodfolk) was a lovely, emotionally resonant book, all the more impressive in that it's Woodfolk's debut. The writing was pitch perfect and I could not get over the beauty in some of her sentences. I could not put the book down. I wanted to see how Shay, Autumn, and Logan's stories would intertwine and to learn more about their loved ones who had died. I liked that it explored different kinds of loss: a best friend, twin sister, and ex-boyfriend. Shay, Autumn, and Logan all cope differently, in ways both positive and negative. They need different kinds of support to help them work through their grief. At the same time, while there are certainly sad moments, this story is filled with a lot of life. All three characters have to figure out a new normal and life carries on. There are people with whom to fall in love and parties to attend and songs to write. There's the current of music which links the characters and which speaks to them in different ways. And there are the other people who are left behind: siblings, parents, friends.

The Dragon And The Pearl (Lin) was my first time reading Jeannie Lin and I cannot handle how good it was. I need more historical romance like this! Her writing is so atmospheric and her characters really come alive. This is set in China in 759 AD during the Tang Dynasty and I learned so much about palace life and the complicated politics of that time. There were such high stakes between Ling Suyin and Li Tao and I didn't know how they would overcome them. My heart really went out to Ling Suyin and how she's been used as a pawn by everyone in her life. She was so close to being able to live out the rest of her life on her own terms, only to be taken by Li Tao. And yes, this may have saved her life but she's still beholden to someone she doesn't believe she can trust. Li Tao carries a heavy burden himself and the political machinations were fascinating, albeit worrisome. I loved watching these two face off against one another and then giving into their attraction. The way their relationship evolved was fantastic and I'm really looking forward to catching up on the first book and then reading the rest of this series. 

Smitten Kitchen Every Day is another winner from Smitten Kitchen! I enjoy reading SK because Deb's recipes are part attainable and part aspirational. Deb's pure love and enjoyment of food bursts off the page and you can't help but catch her enthusiasm. I'm probably never going to grill squid or make my own flatbread but I love reading about her process. I read cookbooks for inspiration and to get me out of cooking my usual recipes. To that end, I'm especially looking forward to making the red lentil soup, kale Caesar with broken eggs, and street cart chicken soon. Oh, and just about every dessert. Deb's recipes never steer me wrong.

I was thrilled when Joy The Baker announced her next cookbook was dedicated to brunch and I have to say Over Easy exceeded my expectations. I've been a big fan of her recipes for several years and there are so many great options in Over Easy I can now add to my arsenal. So far I've made the Grapefruit Rosemary Mimosa, Mini Apricot and Cardamom Scones, and Baked Ratatouille Hash with fried eggs- all winners in my book! On deck soon: Sweet Bacon Pancakes, Breakfast BLTs, and Spinach and Artichoke Strata. YUM. Joy Wilson just gets me.

My reading goal for 2018 is to read a good chunk of my unread books so every month I'm designating several books to read. These were my picks for May and I loved them all!

You can see all the books I've read at Goodreads. 

Currently reading: This Is Where You Belong (Warnick), Hot Mess (Belden), The Library: A Catalogue Of Wonders (Kells), A Hunger Like No Other (Cole), Cocktales Anthology (Various), What Should Be Wild (Fine), The Rose Garden (Kearsley)

TV

I have one episode left of the Queer Eye reboot and I'm not ready to be done. Bring on season 2!

Podcasts:

I really enjoyed publicist Erin Galloway's episode on The Wicked Wallflowers Club. Soaking up all the PR advice and insights I can get!

I've become a major Talia Hibbert fan so I was over the moon when she appeared on Smart Podcast Trashy Books! So great to learn more about her and how she started writing romance. #298: Being Brave: An Interview with Talia Hibbert. I also really enjoyed #297: Song of Blood And Stone: An Interview with Leslye Penelope. I've been looking forward to reading Song Of Blood And Stone and had no idea about its interesting road to publication.

Death, Sex, & Money had a great interview with Tayari Jones. I'm hoping to finally read An American Marriage in June.

What's Black And Gray And Inked All Over? on Code Switch made for fascinating listening. I had no idea about the origin story for black-and-gray tattoos! 

Highlights:  

• The print copy of my novel arrived!!! I swear I'm still giddy. It's a real book!

• One of my dearest friends read an advance copy of A Storied Life and her response was everything I'd hoped it would be. I've been carrying her praise around with me ever since.

• The chicken salsa chili at Cafe Latte - it had been so long since my last dining experience and I've really missed the chili. 

• Marijke and I went to the Fierce Reads tour at Red Balloon Bookshop, which is the cutest place! We got to see Maureen Goo, Tricia Levenseller, Taran Matharu, and Mary E. Pearson. Such a fun night!

• I heard Dominique Gilliard, author of Rethinking Incarceration, speak at The Table. Very important conversation!

• ThriftBooks is a new site I love! Great deals for book lovers. My affiliate link gets you 15% off your first purchase.

• THE ROYAL WEDDING. I'm still not over it and I'm ever ready to talk about how magical it was.

• I'm catsitting for my friend who has a reading nook so basically I'm living the dream.

• Recording podcasts with two dear friends! It's always fun to go on someone's show. 

• I got a NARS lipstick sampler and it's been fun to test out the different colors. The darker shades turned out so much better than I would have guessed!

• Have I mentioned my novel comes out June 12?!?!?! I can't wait for everyone to read it.

Favorite Instagram:

One guess as to how I spent yesterday morning. Waking up early has never been so worth it! I loved every part of the #royalwedding! 

(If you want to follow me on Instagram, my user name is leighkramer.)

On The Blog:

Bookstore Spotlight: Cornerstone Used Books in Villa Park, IL 

Favorite Nonfiction Books About Death, Dying, and Grief.

Book reviews: I'm Still Here, A Tiny Piece Of Something Greater  

What I'm Into Link Up Guidelines:

1. This link-up will stay open for one week. The next What I'm Into link up will be Monday July 2. 

2. Link the unique URL of your post, not your blog's home page. Readers peruse link ups months after the fact and you want to make it easy for them to find your What I'm Into post.

3. Please include the What I'm Into button or mention you're linking up with What I'm Into at Leigh Kramer.

4. Visit at least 2 other posts in the linkup!

What have you been into this month? 

Disclosure: Affiliate links included in this post.  If you click through, any purchase you make supports this site.

It's going to take a while for me to forget how it was STILL SNOWING in mid-April. Luckily, I was still out of town when the blizzard hit the Twin Cities, although it also meant it delayed my return by a couple of days. But this past week it felt like spring had finally arrived. It feels good.

Read and Reading 

A word to the wise: don’t start reading Hurts To Love You (Forbidden Hearts #3) before bedtime or you will get caught in the “one more chapter” trap! This was a phenomenal end to the series and I cried happy tears when I read the last page. The last sentence was perfect! Alisha Rai is such an amazing writer and I loved how she brought everything together with Eve and Gabe’s story. HTLY was emotionally rich, hope-filled, and just plain incredible. I’m sad to say goodbye to the Oka-Kanes and Chandlers but deeply satisfied at the same time. This is definitely one of my favorite series. (This series must be read in order. Start with Hate To Want You.)

There are no words for how much I adored Her Perfect Affair (Oliveras)! It’s a Latinx contemporary romance with a librarian heroine and a surprise baby plot and it made me so happy. It also gave me a lot of feels because the characters are working through big internal conflicts, like self-worth and belonging, and it was so moving to watch them grow through the course of the novel. Rosa was such a booknerd and Jeremy was so supportive. These two had major feelings for one another but they both worried about losing their friendship or the other person not feeling the same way and it was the perfect amount of angst. I also loved how the Fernandez sisters supported each other! Pretty much a gushfest over here. This is book 2 in the series but it’s a standalone and now I need to get book 1 asap.

Richard is such a grump in Act Like It and I could not get enough of him! I absolutely loved watching Richard and Lainie fall for one another, the way they gradually came to appreciate each other. The way Richard looked after Lainie when she got sick was just everything! This was such a fun, delightful read and I'm so glad I finally got around to it. Lucy Parker is as magical of a writer as everyone says!

The Librarian And The Spy (Mann) was such a fun read! It is as delightfully book nerdy as you’d hope. I loved how Quinn’s librarian skills were necessary to solving the mystery/crime. And it may not be a likely scenario for a CIA operative (you definitely have to suspend disbelief but it's worth it) but I sure did adore that dashing James. The two of them together are so sweet when they’re not cracking codes and thwarting bad guys! I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss, and the Fight for Trans Equality (McBride) may be the most important book I'll have read this year. This is the one I'll be pushing—er, gently encouraging—people to read. Sarah McBride's memoir is both accessible and powerful. She shares her own story but she is ever pointing out her privilege and centering the experiences of the transgender community. She lets us in to her life, while also providing a bird's eye view of the larger issues. The result is truly masterful. (Read my full review.)

My reading goal for 2018 is to read a good chunk of my unread books so every month I'm designating several books to read. These were my picks for April. Sadly, I did not have time for Children Of Blood And Bone or The Night Mark due to the tyranny of library books and review copies and because I went rogue and read One And Only instead. But I still plan on reading them soon!

You can see all the books I've read at Goodreads. 

Currently reading: This Is Where You Belong (Warnick), You Are A Badass (Sincero), Hot Mess (Belden), The Library: A Catalogue Of Wonders (Kells), Heels Over Head (Springer)

TV

While I was stranded in Chicagoland due to the blizzard, my friend Megan convinced me to watch two episodes of the Queer Eye reboot. I absolutely loved it! I'm still terrible about watching TV when left to my own devices (ha!) so we'll see if I watch the other episodes on my own.

Podcasts:

Members Of Whose Tribe? on Code Switch was a thoughtful examination of Jewish identity in the US and how the community has responded to racism.

The audio quality isn't great but the content quality was off the charts awesome for Smart Podcast Trashy Books episode 295: Inclusive History, Magical Writing, and Fan Art: An Interview with KJ Charles. Episode 296: Acting, Narrating, and Writing: An Interview with Julia Whelan had some really great behind-the-scene info on audiobooks and screenwriting. Plus, it turns out Julia used to star on Once & Again, a show I greatly enjoyed back in the day.

Aspiring writers, you'll want to check out Write Or Die Podcast, a podcast featuring interviews with established writers who struggled to get their foot in the door. Only two episodes are out so far and they are wonderful. Inspiring and affirming. 

Highlights:  

• Without a doubt, the highlight of this month was getting back my cover design from Sarah Hansen of Okay Creations and getting back the formatted version of A Storied Life from Robin Covington of DJW Book Formatting. THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING! Yesterday afternoon I shared the synopsis and cover reveal and all the preorder links. A Storied Life will be out June 12!

• I headed to my hometown for a few days. It's always so good to be back. This was a working trip so it was a little different but I still got to catch up with friends and go to a few of my favorite places. 

• Laura and I had breakfast at Egglectic and I swear I feel like I breathe easier after Twin Time. She's just one of those friends.

• I met Joy Beth Smith at Blackberry Market and it was so fun to finally meet in person! She is a delight.

• Erin and I had drinks at Burger Social. They make the best Old Fashioneds!

• Ellie and I got to have back-to-back writing dates at Cafe K'Tizo. I branched out and tried a Chinese breakfast tea and it was fantastic. I think it was called Keemun but I'm not 100% sure.

• Donna and I met up at Starbucks and it was so good to catch up!

• I went over to Erin's for lunch and the highlight was my nephew-in-love reading a book to me. Love that buddy.

• Mom remembered an acquaintance of hers owns a used bookstore a few towns over so we checked out Cornerstone Used Books and I am in love! If you're anywhere near Villa Park, IL, you must stop by. What a treasure trove! Huge selection for every genre imaginable.

• Jesse and I had lunch at Burrito Parilla, which 1) I will definitely be returning to because that was an insanely delicious burrito and 2) was such a long time coming. We've followed each other on Twitter for at least a couple of years and even briefly met at a conference two years ago but the stars never previously aligned when I've been back in town. It was so great to chat in person! She is wonderful.

• I headed to Grand Rapids, MI to see friends who were there for a conference. Even though I didn't go to the conference. It would have been painful to have so many dear friends in the Midwest and NOT see them. You know?

• I still had to do my virtual assistant work, however, so I was delighted by Schuler Books, which has an amazing cafe and great tea selections. I got so much work done there and it's such a wonderful bookstore too!

• Amber was kind enough to let me stay at her place one night and her cat became my companion for the evening. I am but a humble pet whisperer.

• I did go Kwame Alexander's opening keynote because it was free to the public and it's one of the best keynotes I've ever heard. If you ever get a chance to hear him, run, do not walk! The Nikki Giovanni stories alone! Gracious. I haven't read any of his books yet but I'm definitely going to make it a priority, especially now that I have a signed copy of Rebound in my possession.

• The best part was being reunited with Micha. We got to be roomies again for the weekend (along with Cara and Erin) and it was just so good to catch up in person and talk about allllllll the things. One of the hardest parts of moving away from San Francisco was leaving Micha and her family and anytime we get to see each other now is food for the soul.

• I also got to see Alia! It was such a treat to be in the same room.

• Plus, I got to catch with Deidra and Michelle (pictured above), Annie, Kelley, Ed, Shawn, Liz, Addie, Christiana, Carolyn, and so many more. It wasn't the same as actually attending the conference but I still got in some quality heart-to-hearts.

• Katie and I got to have a delightful lunch together at Rose's.

• I had a phenomenal Old Fashioned at Grove. Dinner was great too!

• Parties at bookstores should always be a thing. Case in point: Zondervan's party at Books & Mortar. It is such a cute bookstore and it was the perfect backdrop for wine, food, and conversation!

• I had to leave town earlier than planned to beat the ice storm, which was a bummer, but I was on my way to my friend Megan's cozy house in IL, which is the perfect place to wait out a winter, I mean spring, snowstorm. Megan and her family always take such good care of me and they let me have some good introvert time, while also making space for me to join their meals and family movie night. It was the best!

• I took care of my friend's cat Eddie and he was so sweet! I also soaked up all the natural light at her place. Ahhhhhhh.

• In honor of Independent Bookstore Day, I visited Buffalo Books & Coffee in the morning and then Marijke and I visited Excelsior Bay Books in the afternoon. I love indie bookstores so much!

• I had a Castle Danger Cream Ale at dinner at Cladagh and it was so good, I had to take a picture of its listing on the menu so I won't forget the name. 

On The Blog:

Introducing my novel: A Storied Life. (!!!!!!)

Book reviews: That's What She Said: Wise Words From Influential Women, Maria In The Moon, Tomorrow Will Be Different

What I'm Into Link Up Guidelines:

1. This link-up will stay open for one week. The next What I'm Into link up will be Friday June 1. 

2. Link the unique URL of your post, not your blog's home page. Readers peruse link ups months after the fact and you want to make it easy for them to find your What I'm Into post.

3. Please include the What I'm Into button or mention you're linking up with What I'm Into at Leigh Kramer.

4. Visit at least 2 other posts in the linkup!

What have you been into this month? 

Disclosure: Affiliate links included in this post.  If you click through, any purchase you make supports this site.