Reading Challenge Mid-Year Check-In!

Can you believe we’re at the halfway point of 2021? Maybe it’s because 2020 seemed to drag on forever, but this year seems like it just started. However, here we are, and I thought what better time to do a check-in on our reading challenges.

Or, if you didn’t sign up for any at the beginning of the year and now might want to, it’s the perfect time to join one!

This year I’m doing three challenges:

• The TBR Backlog Reading Challenge - (You can get all the details here.)

• The Read Wide 2021 Challenge - (Grab the details and a downloadable chart here.)

• The Goodreads challenge

So, how is it going so far? Let’s see! I did MATH, y’all.

TBR Backlog Reading Challenge

Let’s start with the new challenge I created this year—The TBR Backlog Reading Challenge. For this one, I wanted to tackle books based on what year I purchased them in (which I can see on Goodreads) because usually I’m just picking up the newest things in my stack. I also wanted to whittle down my Book of the Month club stack so I made a section for that.

Here’s how it’s going:

As you can see, I’m doing pretty well! I’ve filled in all the circles for the years purchased except for one, and I’m almost halfway through the Book of the Month number.

So, what have I learned so far and is the challenge accomplishing what I intended?

Well, I’m definitely learning things! I’ll talk more about that below. And yes, it’s accomplishing the main goal—thinning out my TBR—but if I was hoping to discover books that I’ll love that I forgot about…well, that’s been a little less successful.

Let’s look at some stats (because I don’t like math but I get super nerdy about book math!)

I have read 21 books so far for the challenge (you’ll only see 20 recorded in the chart because I’m writing down backlist books even after I’ve filled in those circles just to keep track of how much TBR I tackled.)

Of the 17 books that I’ve read based on the year purchased, 53% have been either DNFs, one, or two star ratings. Ouch. 18% have been 4 or 5 stars.

Of the 5 Book of the Month club books, I only rated one 2 stars. The rest were 3 or above. So, better luck there!

What are my takeaways from those numbers?

1. Reading taste changes over time.

   I can see the evolution of my reading taste over the ten years I’ve been keeping track on Goodreads. Not only do I have another decade of reading under my belt (and life experience) but I have another decade of WRITING. My critical eye is…highly critical these days. I’m much pickier and much less patient now.

2. Book of the Month usually gives me solid books.

   There’s a reason I’ve been a member for a number of years now. BOTM introduces me to books I may not have sought out on my own. Sometimes those risks don’t pay off, but more often than not, they do. (If you’d like to try BOTM, I believe this referral link will get you a discount or free book or something. :) )

3. Book trends are real and sometimes older books just don’t hold up.

   Partly, this may be because I can burn out on genres that were the big thing a few years ago. This also is because some books are written in a way that can stand the test of time—and some just feel dated.

4. I can clean up my TBR by aggressive use of the DNF (did not finish) because some books are clearly going to fall prey to #1 and #3 above.

So far, I’m calling this challenge a success.

The Read Wide Challenge

Next up is the challenge I created a few years ago and have been doing ever since—The Read Wide Challenge. The point of the challenge is to make sure I’m reading from a wide number of genres and subgenres (good for writing inspiration!) and I add some categories for fun as well. I’m almost done with this one!

So let’s look at the numbers on this one so far…

I’ve read 37 books for this challenge so far.

51% of the books have gotten 4 or 5 ratings. Nine have gotten 5 stars, which is a very high bar for me.

19% have gotten 2 stars or below.

It’s almost the exact opposite of the other challenge!

So, what does that teach me about the Read Wide challenge?

1. Reading widely and diversely is a much more effective way for me to find books I love.

   This may be partly because it keeps my reading fresh. I don’t get stuck in one kind of book very long.

2. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone genres pays off.

   I find things I wouldn’t have picked up otherwise, and it also helps me learn what genres I don’t like.

3. The only downside is that it means I have read less of the genre I actually write in because I’m spending time reading many different kinds of things.

   This isn’t all negative. Often my book ideas have come from reading books very much outside of my genre—non-fiction especially.

4. This challenge helps with the dreaded “What Should I Read Next?” question.

   Looking at the squares I still have to fill in gives me a direction.

So this challenge is definitely one I’ll be keeping in the future. I’m even considering creating a new chart for the second half of the year since I’m almost done with this one!

The Goodreads Challenge

This one is a straightforward number to hit. When I started the year, I chose a number to go easy on myself. I chose 50 books because I still had a book deadline looming, and I didn’t want this number stressing me out. However, I’ve now turned in my book and have been reading like crazy. So…I moved the bar, which is something that is nice about the GR challenge. You can adjust it.

Now, please don’t be too impressed with my current number. That 72 is inflated because I added a bunch of cookbooks I bought to the list. My actual number read right now is 55. But that’s still very high for me at the halfway point of the year. In 2020, I read 73 books total, so I’m on track to be higher than that if my pace continues.

No lessons from this one, but it is satisfying to look at that number!

How are your challenges going?

So, how are your reading challenges going? Now’s the time to make adjustments!

Maybe you need to scoot that number down or up on Goodreads. Or maybe your current challenge isn’t working for you and you want to switch to something new to liven things up. Or maybe, like me, you’re about to complete some of the challenges and want to take on a new one. Or you didn’t sign up for one at the end of 2020 because 2020 and now you’re ready to try one.

Wherever you are with your challenges, I hope you’re having fun with them and not letting them bring you any stress. :)

I’d love to hear how yours are going and which ones you’re doing (if any). Have you leaned anything from them? Share in the comments!

Roni's June Recs: Read - Watch - Listen

Hey there! It’s summer!

The heat has been blazing here in Texas, so it’s felt like summer for a while, but I know it just became official yesterday. However, I hope you’re already enjoying all those summery things so many of us look forward to.

For me, summer is about vacations, slower days, piles of books to read, escapist TV shows, and listening to great audiobooks and podcasts in the car as I bring the kiddo back and forth to all the summer things.

So I thought today, I’d share some of my favorite finds so far this month!

READ

People have varying ideas of what constitutes a “summer read”. The most classic definition is a frothy, escapist book that is often set on or near a beach and has a cover of bright, summery colors or photos of aforementioned beach. I can definitely be down with that kind of read. However, I don’t limit my summer reading to that.

For me, a summer read means a book that sweeps me away, that I can get lost in. For instance, the first read below is decidedly NOT a summer setting. However, I read almost the whole thing at a NASCAR race when I was hiding underneath the stands from the absolutely boil-your-organs heat. If I can get lost in a book while I’m that hot and while listening to the deafening sound of race cars, that is a book that is truly escapist.

I also tend to reach for “juicy” books during the summer. Over the top reads that are just a little too much but in the best way.

So here we go!

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides

About the book:

Edward Fosca is a murderer. Of this Mariana is certain. But Fosca is untouchable. A handsome and charismatic Greek tragedy professor at Cambridge University, Fosca is adored by staff and students alike―particularly by the members of a secret society of female students known as The Maidens.

Mariana Andros is a brilliant but troubled group therapist who becomes fixated on The Maidens when one member, a friend of Mariana’s niece Zoe, is found murdered in Cambridge.

Mariana, who was once herself a student at the university, quickly suspects that behind the idyllic beauty of the spires and turrets, and beneath the ancient traditions, lies something sinister. And she becomes convinced that, despite his alibi, Edward Fosca is guilty of the murder. But why would the professor target one of his students? And why does he keep returning to the rites of Persephone, the maiden, and her journey to the underworld?

When another body is found, Mariana’s obsession with proving Fosca’s guilt spirals out of control, threatening to destroy her credibility as well as her closest relationships. But Mariana is determined to stop this killer, even if it costs her everything―including her own life.

My thoughts:

This was a Book of the Month pick and pushed one of my big reader buttons—my love of a campus novel. (Want more campus novel recs? Check out this post.) I haven’t read The Silent Patient (though I own it and plan to) but the concept of this one called to me, so I picked it up first. Sometimes when it’s hot outside, there’s nothing like escaping into a some place cooler. A prestigious university in England fit the bill. There are lots of twists and turns to keep the pages flipping and enough characterization that my character-driven heart was satisfied.

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

About the book:

Soldier. Summoner. Saint. Orphaned and expendable, Alina Starkov is a soldier who knows she may not survive her first trek across the Shadow Fold―a swath of unnatural darkness crawling with monsters. But when her regiment is attacked, Alina unleashes dormant magic not even she knew she possessed.

Now Alina will enter a lavish world of royalty and intrigue as she trains with the Grisha, her country’s magical military elite―and falls under the spell of their notorious leader, the Darkling. He believes Alina can summon a force capable of destroying the Shadow Fold and reuniting their war-ravaged country, but only if she can master her untamed gift.

As the threat to the kingdom mounts and Alina unlocks the secrets of her past, she will make a dangerous discovery that could threaten all she loves and the very future of a nation.

Welcome to Ravka . . . a world of science and superstition where nothing is what it seems.

My thoughts:

I read Ninth House by Leigh Badugo a while back and I LOVED it. So when I realized I’d missed her popular GrishaVerse series (and that it was about to become a Netflix show), I knew I needed to remedy this immediately. I’m not always in the mood for a fantasy-type read. I tend to have a love/hate relationship with the genre. When I read a fantasy book, it either becomes one of my favorites of the year or I can’t get though it. I rarely have middling feelings about them.

However, I’m happy to report that Shadow and Bone, which is based on a Russian type mythology, totally hooked me. Really, anything that has a character named The Darkling probably had my name on it. I do love a darkly charming is he/isn’t he a villain type character. I raced through the whole trilogy and promptly bought the spinoffs. Since then, I’ve read Six of Crows (which I liked but didn’t love quite as much since it’s more of a heist-based plot) and have taken a break from the series just because I don’t like to stay in one zone for too long. I will go back though. Choose this if you want to binge a series.

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

About the book:

Frances is a coolheaded and darkly observant young woman, vaguely pursuing a career in writing while studying in Dublin. Her best friend is the beautiful and endlessly self-possessed Bobbi. At a local poetry performance one night, they meet a well-known photographer, and as the girls are then gradually drawn into her world, Frances is reluctantly impressed by the older woman’s sophisticated home and handsome husband, Nick. But however amusing Frances and Nick’s flirtation seems at first, it begins to give way to a strange—and then painful—intimacy.

Written with gemlike precision and marked by a sly sense of humor, Conversations with Friends is wonderfully alive to the pleasures and dangers of youth, and the messy edges of female friendship.

My thoughts:

Last year, one of my favorite reads was Normal People by Sally Rooney. It was far outside of what I normally read—her books are often labeled grim millennial literary fiction. But for some reason, it grabbed me. I watched the TV show first though, so I thought that may have been why. So I picked up Conversations with Friends with a bit of trepidation because I didn’t know if I’d still enjoy the writing as much if I hadn’t formed images of the characters first from a TV show.

I shouldn’t have worried. I can’t exactly pinpoint WHY Rooney’s writing works for me, but it does. As a writer, I tend to write very open, talk-about-their-feelings kinds of characters. (I think this comes from my former therapist background.) So, a book like this where everyone is SO EMOTIONALLY REPRESSED should drive me nuts. And on one level, it does. I want to shake them and tell them, “Just tell people how you feel, dammit!” But but but, I can’t stop reading lol.

This book is grim and literary and there isn’t a ton of plot. (I’m really selling it, eh?) But it’s deeply character-driven, and I’m a junkie for characterization. So…your mileage may vary if you don’t read much lit fic, but I’ll definitely be picking up Rooney’s next novel because her books seem to scratch some itch I didn’t know I had.

I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

About the book:

With her disarming, intimate, completely accessible voice, and dry sense of humor, Nora Ephron shares with us her ups and downs in I Feel Bad About My Neck, a candid, hilarious look at women who are getting older and dealing with the tribulations of maintenance, menopause, empty nests, and life itself.

Ephron chronicles her life as an obsessed cook, passionate city dweller, and hapless parent. But mostly she speaks frankly and uproariously about life as a woman of a certain age. Utterly courageous, uproariously funny, and unexpectedly moving in its truth telling, I Feel Bad About My Neck is a scrumptious, irresistible treat of a book, full of truths, laugh out loud moments that will appeal to readers of all ages.

My thoughts:

Do I really have to sell you on Nora Ephron? Probably not. If you’re looking for something to make you laugh but that also has some poignant and thought-provoking parts, this is for you. Ephron writes in a way that makes it feel like you’re having drinks will a really wry and entertaining friend. I raced through this one and highlighted a lot of passages. The sections toward the end made me a little sad, knowing she’s not with us anymore, but I’m so glad I read it. Just her thoughts on raising adolescents made me feel better because I’m in the thick of that phase of parenting right now, lol.

WATCH

When it comes to TV watching, I have shows I watch with my whole family, ones I watch just with the kiddo (age 13), ones I watch just with the hubs, and ones I watch alone. I’m looking for different criteria in each category, but here are a few that I’m loving right now.

Show I’m Watching with the Fam

The Good Place (Netflix)

I had watched some of this series on my own when it first came out but then I lost track of it. However, when I was looking for a new show to watch with the whole family, it came up as a suggestion. I’m so glad I went back to it! All three of us are fully enjoying it and truly do laugh aloud. It’s so freaking clever.

The basic premise is that Eleanor (Kristen Bell) has died and finds herself in The Good Place (aka heaven) but it isn’t what she’d thought it be and she realizes quickly that she’s not supposed to be there…because she was actually a really crappy person on earth. But she can’t let anyone find out because then she’ll be sent to the bad place. Antics ensue.

Please don’t look for spoilers—just dive in and enjoy. Also note that even though I’m listing this as a family watch, I wouldn’t recommend it for younger kids. They can’t curse in the good place (it changes curse words to substitutes—go fork yourself) but there are some sexual jokes and situations.

Shows I Watch Solo

Cruel Summer (Hulu)

Admission: I love a soapy, over-the-top or overly angsty teen or college show. I grew up on Dawson’s Creek and Felicity and My So-Called Life. I don’t care that I’m in my 40s, these kinds of shows are still like candy to me. So, when I saw that Cruel Summer was going to be about high school students, a kidnapped teen, and that it was set in the 90s, I was all in.

The premise is unique—each episode covers the same day on each of three different years. So you see parts of the story from the year before/when the kidnapping took place, the year while the girl was missing, and the year of aftermath. The triple timeline really keeps you guessing and there are lots of twists along the way. I finished it this week and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. And fun bonus, it was taped nearby, so I recognized a lot of the locations.

Shadow & Bone (Netflix)

As I mentioned above, I loved the books, so I definitely was interested in the show. I’m only a few episodes in, but so far, they seem to be doing a good job translating the book to screen. I will note, however, that though it’s called Shadow and Bone, they also weaved in the Six of Crows book. So, if you’re someone who wants to read the books before the show, you’ll need to read Shadow & Bone and Six of Crows not to be spoiled.

Elite (Netflix)

I am brand new to this one, so I can’t necessarily recommend it yet, but I’ve watched two episodes so far and I’m intrigued. Warning, this is a show from Spain, so you either have to pick dubbed dialogue or read subtitles. I tried the dubbed, but it sounded weird to me. I’m liking the subtitles better.

As I mentioned above, I love a campus novel, so hearing that this show was set at an elite high school where three not-so-elite outsiders have gotten scholarships pushed my campus novel button. Mean girls, entitled boys, too much money and hormones and not enough parental supervision? Yes, please. If that’s your thing, maybe check it out. I will note that this is about teens but NOT a teen show. There is nudity/sex.

What I’m Watching with the Teen

Big Bang Theory

I missed this show the first time around, but the kiddo and I are enjoying the heck out of working our way through these. I love a show that is both clever and makes you genuinely laugh out loud. And it can be kind of tough to find something that both me and the thirteen year old can enjoy together, so this is perfect.

LISTEN

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

I’m not all the way through this, but it’s been so entertaining so far. I love listening to a memoir as an audiobook because I think it just adds so much to hear a person tell their own story. And Matthew is a storyteller. He’s that guy you’d buy a beer, and he’d just weave tales about “this one time.” His stories are funny and entertaining. He intersperses “bumper sticker” lessons and some poetry. He laughs at his own stories. It’s just a fun ride.

Whew! That was a lot. I hope you found something to add to your summer! Happy reading and watching and listening, y’all. :)

What’s been your favorite read, watch, or listen so far this summer season?

What I've Been Reading & Loving Lately

Hi there! It’s been a minute. :)

I’m emerging from the book deadline cave (and book release frenzy) and finally have time to write something that is not a book! *blinks in the sunlight*

The good news is that, even though I’ve been writing most waking hours of the day for a couple of months, I have managed to carve out reading time along the way. (Because if I stop reading, the muse stops giving me words for my writing.) So, today I have some books to recommend!

Fave Fiction So Far

Wanderers by Chuck Wendig

Warning: This is a pandemic book. I bought this last year and had to put it on my shelf for a later date because I just couldn’t have handled this book in the early days of the COVID crisis. But last month, I decided to finally pick this up. I’m a person who gets anxiety relief from reading (or watching) horror stories (a concept I actually explore in my next book What If You & Me with the heroine), so your mileage may vary if you’re not wired that way. But I thought this epic book was very well done, and any author who can get me to read 782 pages of anything these days is doing something right. This hits the sweet spot between character-driven and plot-driven. It slowed a little in the middle for me, and I switched to audio to get through that part, but then after that, I raced to the end. If you’re looking for something like Stephen King’s The Stand, this is for you.

About the book:

Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other “shepherds” who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.

For as the sleepwalking phenomenon awakens terror and violence in America, the real danger may not be the epidemic but the fear of it. With society collapsing all around them—and an ultraviolent militia threatening to exterminate them—the fate of the sleepwalkers depends on unraveling the mystery behind the epidemic. The terrifying secret will either tear the nation apart—or bring the survivors together to remake a shattered world.

Boys Like You by Juliana Stone

This year, I created a TBR Backlog Reading Challenge so that I could tackle those books that have been sitting on my shelves for years. This book was one of them. It had been sitting on my shelf since 2015! That’s a long time to hold onto a book. But once I picked up this YA contemporary romance, I was hooked. I read through it in a day. A sweet, emotional romance.

About the book:

Two shattered hearts are about to collide in this achingly poignant young adult novel. Monroe and Nathan are two lost souls each struggling with grief and guilt from a mistake that changed their lives – looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

For Monroe Blackwell, one small mistake has torn her family apart―leaving her empty and broken. There's a hole in her heart that nothing can fill. That no one can fill. And a summer in Louisiana with her grandma isn't going to change that...

Nathan Everets knows heartache firsthand when a car accident leaves his best friend in a coma. And it's all his fault. He should be the one lying in the hospital. The one who will never play guitar again. He doesn't deserve forgiveness, and a court-appointed job at the Blackwell B&B isn't going to change that...

There's No Going Back

Captivating and hopeful, this achingly poignant novel brings together two lost souls struggling with grief and guilt―looking for acceptance, so they can find forgiveness.

When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn and It’s In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

I had read most of the Bridgerton novels years ago (and loved them!) but I had left a few unread. After watching the Netflix show, I got a hankering for those Bridgertons again. :) Luckily, I already had these on my shelf. I raced through them and had such a good time reading them. I only have one left and am waiting to savor it. Julia Quinn is one of those authors who I can always rely on to give me a great read.

Fave Non-Fiction So Far

My Life in France by Julia Child

The ultimate comfort read—or listen, in this case, because I listened to this on audio (highly recommend!) I love that this book was so many things—personal memoir, a peek into a time in history, a foodie memoir, a travel memoir, a love story, and the tale of a wonderful, strong, talented woman. The whole thing was a delight.

Text Me When You Get Home by Kayleen Schaefer

When I finished this, I immediately wanted to go out and buy a copy for all my friends. This essay collection was such a tribute to the beauty and richness of female friendships that I just wanted to hug it to my chest. I love how it explored how female friendships have been portrayed in the media (cat fights, mean girls, etc) and how, for most of us, that hasn’t been our experience. Instead, we are uplifted by the women we’re closest to. Readers often comment on the way I write supportive female friendships into my books, and I think I do that because I have wonderful friends in my life but also because it’s something we don’t see portrayed often enough on screen and in books.

Share Your Stuff by Laura Tremaine.

Speaking of friendships, I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook about digging deeper and sharing your stuff in a journal, with friends, or in other aspects of your life. This book is hard to describe. The official description says part memoir and part guidebook, and I think that’s apt, but also doesn’t fully convey the mood. I listen to Laura Tremaine’s podcast 10 Things to Tell You and enjoy it, so that’s what made me pick up this book. If this sounds interesting to you but you’re unsure, I encourage you to check out her podcast first. If you like the vibe, you’ll probably like this book. Recommended in audio since she narrates it herself and podcasters give good audio. :)

Solve For Happy by Mo Gawdet

This is another one that is a little hard to describe. It’s a book about happiness but uses math and physics and philosophy to tackle it. This is one I couldn’t rush through because the concepts took some time to wrap my head around. But I LOVED so much of this. It’s one I will probably reread so I can take notes the second time around.

Group by Christie Tate

I was a therapist before I was a writer, so therapy memoirs are my jam, and I hadn’t read one before that tackled group therapy. This one took me a little while to get into. The author made some life choices that made me want to yell at her “not to go there” like when I watch a horror movie, but I’m glad I stuck with the read. I ended up really enjoying the journey. I was also fascinated by the style of therapy because it wasn’t the kind I was trained in.

Light the Dark edited by Joe Fassler

My fellow writers, this was such an inspiring read. It’s a collection of essays from well-known writers (mostly literary fiction writers) about the different aspects of inspiration and the writing life. I felt so “seen” in the way some of them described their writing processes. This will be one I want to read through again.


Those are my faves so far. I hope you’ve found something that looks good to you!

What’s been your favorite read so far this year?

Yes & I Love You is now available!

It’s finally here!

It’s been a while since I’ve had a new book out in the world, but I hope you’ll find this new series worth the wait. :)

I’ve had a number of people ask me what they should expect from this series as compared to my others. This is definitely a romance series (happy endings promised!), there are neurodiverse characters (Hollyn has Tourette’s and social anxiety, Jasper has ADHD), there’s a lot of humor (the hero is an improv actor after all), and of course there are steamy scenes (because I haven’t met a closed door I didn’t want to open, lol.) But there are also emotional backstories (a common thread through all my series) and fun female friendships (like The Ones Who Got Away series) so a women’s fiction reader who wants to dip into romantic fiction might enjoy this book too! :)

Here’s the official summary:

A beautifully emotional new contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestseller Roni Loren.

Everyone knows Miz Poppy, the vibrant reviewer whose commentary brightens the New Orleans nightlife. But no one knows Hollyn, the real face behind the media star...or the fear that keeps her isolated. When her boss tells her she needs to add video to her blog or lose her job, she's forced to rely on an unexpected source to help her face her fears.

When aspiring actor Jasper Deares finds out the shy woman who orders coffee every day is actually Miz Poppy, he realizes he has a golden opportunity to get the media attention his acting career needs. All he has to do is help Hollyn come out of her shell…and through their growing connection, finally find her voice.

You can read the first chapter here if you want to check it out.

Or, you could just buy it and read the whole thing!

Buy the book:  Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Indiebound | Books-A-Million | Google Play

Audiobook: Audible | Books-A-Million | B&N

Put it on your list! Add to Goodreads

The Weekend Project That Is Making Me Happy: Making Pizza From Scratch

First, for those of you who have reached out during the epic winter storm Texas has been going through, my family and I are safe. We had power cycling on and off every hour for 3.5 days and some of our pipes froze, but we were able to stay warm and safe, so we were luckier than many others. We now have power back and things are thawing you.

Now, on to something much more pleasant—pizza!

I know that pandemic bread baking has been a thing over the last year, so I’m not introducing something novel, but I thought I’d share an offshoot of bread-baking that has been bringing some joy over at our house—making pizza from scratch.

It all started with hubs falling into the rabbit hole of watching David Portnoy’s pizza reviews. There was one about a guy making pizza in his apartment, taking donations, and then lowering pizzas out of his window with a pulley system to those who had donated. Portnoy gave the pizza high marks and was impressed with the crust this guy was getting with a home oven and a baking steel. So hubs came to me to show me the video and then asked if I could research baking steels.

Cue me now falling into the rabbit hole too, lol. Not of pizza reviews but of pizza making.

One cookbook, a hunt for double zero flour, and a baking steel later…I starting making pizza from scratch. And y’all, it’s been amazing. Like truly. I’m picky about pizza and want a good wood-fired crust and never thought I could create that effect at home. I was wrong. Behold…

Although I would consider myself an experienced home cook (I have quite the cookbook obsession), I am not an experienced baker. So I was totally intimidated by the thought of trying to make dough and getting it to rise and shaping it and all the things. And when I first flipped through the cookbook I’m going to recommend below, I was like, yeah, I’m in over my head. The recipes didn’t even START until page 100 because of all the explanations and photos.

But when I actually just said, screw it, I’m going to try it, and if it sucks, oh well I ended up making really great pizza right out the gate. Crispy bottom, slightly charred edges and delicious sauce. The instructions LOOKED intimidating but, in practice, were totally doable. All that step by step instruction in the book helped so much.

So, I thought I’d post about the experience in case you might want to give it a try but don’t know where to start. I will admit that there is a bit of equipment shopping needed to get the right tools, so I’ll list what we bought below.

The Cookbook

The Elements of Pizza: Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home [A Cookbook]

By Forkish, Ken

Yes, I’m sure there are a million free recipes online. But I wanted a cookbook to walk me through every step with photos. I’d seen The Elements of Pizza by Ken Forkish recommended in numerous places, and I was not disappointed. The pizza sauce recipe inside is worth the price alone and it’s literally the simplest most basic sauce ever, but I could eat it with a spoon like soup.

This book has great photos, great recipes, and walks you through every step. If you get it, I’ve been using the “I Slept In But I Want Pizza Tonight” dough recipe. I like this one because I can start prepping dough around 11am and have three dough balls all risen and ready to stretch and top by dinner time.

The Equipment

The Pizza Steel

Artisan Steel - High Performance Pizza Steel Made in the USA - 16" x 14.25" (.25" Thick) Buy on Amazon

This seems to be the game changer. I have a baking stone. This is not that. This is literally a heavy piece of steel that you put in your oven and heat for an hour at high temps before you put your pizza in. It gets screaming hot and then when you slide in your pizza, it cooks in 5-10 minutes depending on what kind you’re making. It gets the crust crispy and gets you that wood-fired oven effect. This is the one I purchased. Just be careful. The sucker is heavy. Only handle it with two hands and when it’s cool.

The Pizza Peel

Checkered Chef Pizza Peel Extra Large Pizza Paddle Stainless Steel With Folding Handle Buy on Amazon

You’ll need this to slide the pizza in and out of the super hot oven. The cookbook recommends a wooden peel. I couldn’t find that kind so I went with a metal one. It worked well as long as I floured the surface enough.

A Dough Tub

I don’t know if this was 100% necessary but I already had one and I find it very useful. You can mix the dough by hand right in the tub and then cover it while it does its first rise. The bonus of this method is you don’t need a fancy stand mixer. I have one and never had to fire it up.

Something to blend sauce

This can be whatever you have on hand—a blender, a hand blender, a food processor. But if you’re making from scratch sauce from whole canned tomatoes, you’ll need something to blend it. I used my hand blender.

Specialty Ingredients

Aren’t my dough balls pretty? ;)

This isn’t a must have, but I’m passing it along because it’s what I’m using. I haven’t tried the recipe with regular flour, though the cookbook does say you can use substitutions. The “best” is supposed to be double zero flour. We were able to find it at Central Market here in Texas. My guess is you could also find it at Whole Foods or online if your local store doesn’t carry it.

Those are the main things you need. The sauce and topping ingredients are all basics you can get at the grocery store. And I know this list may sound intimidating, but once you have it, you can make pizza whenever you want!

So far we’ve made some basics like pepperoni and margherita, but we also tried a prosciutto and arugula one and the Brooklyn Hot Honey from the cookbook (it’s one of the photos above) and they were all so yummy. I can’t wait to try more.

And in a pandemic, with all the stress of the world going on, I find it really relaxing and satisfying to take on a cooking project that is slow and methodical and has visible results. Plus, it’s so rewarding when I slide that pizza out of the oven and it looks (and tastes) better than I could get in most restaurants. Highly recommend pizza therapy! ;)

So, what have been some of your pandemic projects?