Wow. I couldn’t send a newsletter at all last year and here I am sending TWO in January. New year…possibly new Katrina?!
(No. Not really. I’m just writing other things to trick myself into thinking I’m “technically writing” so I can avoid the depressing, hyper-critical, and deeply uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that come up when I sit down to write my novel(s) because A) those thoughts and feelings would have me believe that this isn’t really going to work out for me and/or I’m not actually talented and B) everything I write is deeply personal and while I often write with some sprinkles of sarcastic and self-deprecating humor, it is often hard to force myself to go to those darker places of my own experience and bring them into the story in great detail AND work through them in a way that makes for a thorough yet super duper fun reading experience for the audience I hope to have someday)
Anywho…
I would LOVE to tell you about a book I read recently that was recommended to me by my (wildly talented and amazing) friend Melissa Ren. I don’t remember exactly how she worded it, but basically she messaged me and said she was reading something dystopian with stunning prose about a chef who gets hired to go work for some mysterious employer. That the scene (early on, not really a spoiler) where the chef reaches into a bag and feels a strawberry for the first time in a looooong time was a sensory feast, and that I’d probably like it.
Obviously, I was sold.
The book is Land of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang and I decided to buy it and read it without knowing anything else. Didn’t read the back copy. Opted out of reviews. Had no idea of its actual genre.
WHAT A FUN READING EXPERIENCE I HAD! OMG

First of all, the language throughout the book is lush, atmospheric, and just as luxurious as the food that’s being described. But, it’s not just the food that gets such fantastical treatment. Everything does. I LOVE dystopian stories and I’ve never read anything like this one. The premise and characters were simultaneously intriguing, infuriating, and devastating. I honestly don’t want to say too much because I’d love for more people to read this without a lot of context. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend doing what I did and just let yourself enjoy the ride. Be open minded. Drown in the prose and let the current whisk you away! (To the part of the plot that will have you blinking and wishing you had more people to talk to about it! Also it’s super timely so, win win win!)

I will say that, immediately after reading, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. I knew I liked it, but I really needed to sit with it and figure out if I LOVED it. After letting my thoughts simmer for a few weeks, I can confidently say I really really love this book. I appreciate books that don’t ease up on their messaging, and this one delivered.
Also, this book has the BEST Acknowledgments I’ve ever read. Like, I got seriously emotional reading them. But they don’t really land unless you read the novel. So, just trust me, READ THE BOOK FIRST and then go read the Acknowledgments.
They’re *chef’s kiss* and worth framing. I'm not kidding.
Another fantastic book I read recently was The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (Also a rec by Melissa, go sign up for her newsletter already) and IT IS SO FUNNY!
YES I AM SHOUTING
I was laughing soooooo hard. It’s been a while since I read something that had me laughing out loud through the entire thing. January is a particularly dreadful month and this was such a nice little treat. I tried to keep track of some of my favorite one liners for this post and I gave up! There were too many! (I enjoyed the audio version for those who like those kind of recs)
And, finally…
I made a recipe from one of my new cookbooks AND remembered to take a pic.
Wild times.
I’ve been following Carolina Gelen on Instagram for a while now and was thrilled to finally get her new book Pass the Plate. I highly recommend purchasing this book not only because the recipes are highly approachable, but her personal journey that resulted in this cookbook is well worth the read. I know most folks don’t buy cookbooks and read them like they would a novel, but I do and I wish more people would too. They’re often a glorious mix of memoir, essays, fantastic food writing, and (obviously) food, and this one is bursting with passion (and flavor!).

ALL the recipes look fantastic. I’m not even trying to be nice about it. I had a hard time picking something to cook first.
I tried the One-Pan Garlicky Chicken Couscous and…omg…10/10, will be making again. Like, ASAP.

The lighting in my dining room and kitchen are abysmal for food pics but you’ll just have to trust me that it was super lovely.
I’ll admit, I struggle to document the recipes I try from cookbooks because, let’s face it, I can’t help but make a few changes. I'm a chef! For instance, in this recipe, I didn’t have any fresh dill for the caper topping so I used scallions (turned out delicious). I also had a lemon I needed to use so I swapped the vinegar for my lemon juice. Not major changes, and I think it’s safe to say that the recipe is a success either way (I mean, anything that calls for 15 garlic cloves is bound to be a banger). It was super easy and really flavorful and my 4 y/o devoured it.
Win win win!
That’s all for now! Though, I should warn you that in my next newsletter I MIGHT talk about the book I’m currently reading because…
…
It might be one of my favorite new books. Of all time.
I know.
I don’t want to speak too soon but so far I’m SMITTEN. Like, when I die, just pour my ashes over this book and let me slowly become one with it.
Maybe that’s dramatic but I’ve never wanted a tattoo of a book character until now.
So, I’ll leave it at that.
I’m currently taking a break from reading too many horror books (no such thing, but…) so that they don’t seep into my own WIP’s, but I’d love some recs of your favorite non horror books. Feel free to pass them along in the comments!
Have a great week! Be kind! (And maybe consider signing up for ACLU emails so we can just TRY to do SOMETHING when we feel hopeless!)
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