Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/30/23) - Friday Happy Links!

WHEW, it's finally Friday. Let's take a break for some happy links.

He's just INCREDIBLE: Shohei Ohtani first AL pitcher in nearly 60 years to homer twice, strike out 10, Angels beat ChiSox (AP)

You need to see these pictures: Adorable therapy dog honored at high school graduation (ABC News)

Tennessee State to become first HBCU with ice hockey program, plans men’s club team for 2024-25 (The Athletic)

Cowabunga! How the pizza-eating, crime-fighting cartoon turtles got their start in NH (NHPR)

Quiz: Which Iconic Queer Literary Character Is Your Soulmate? (Book Riot)

Scientists Find the ‘Extinct’ Victorian Earless Dragon, Not Seen Since 1969 (Smithsonian)

Don’t Skip Dessert — Order It To Go (Eater)

Fave Five: Standalone Space Operas (LGBTQ Reads)

This sounds great: Colourful 20-Minute Summer Fruit Salad (with Orange Mint Dressing) (The First Mess)

Archaeologists unearth 4,000-year-old ‘Stonehenge of the Netherlands’ (The Guardian)

And some longer Friday reads:

50 Pictures of Queer Joy at 2023 LGBTQ+ Pride Celebrations All Over the World (Autostraddle)

‘Not like any other teammate’: Matt Chapman holds the Blue Jays together on-field and off (The Athletic)

The 49 Most Dramatic Hats of Royal Ascot (GFY)

25 Queer Films That Emerged From the Sundance Film Festival (THR)

Women Detectives Who Changed the Game (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/29/23)

Today is Thursday and it's actually sunny at the moment! In case you're wondering, no, I will not be linking to anything about the perfect game that happened last night, as that pitcher is a known domestic abuser.

EU mulls levy on frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine reconstruction (The Guardian)

Fatal police shooting of teenager triggers protests and arrests across France (NPR)

It's something: Portions of transgender youth care bans in Kentucky, Tennessee blocked by federal judges (PBS)

Good! NH is extending Medicaid coverage for new moms (NHPR)

Biden Issues Executive Order Aimed At Strengthening Contraceptive Access Ahead of Dobbs Anniversary (The Messenger)

Activists blast Tory conversion therapy consent loophole: ‘This will cost many lives’ (Pink News)

In a major discovery, scientists say space-time churns like a choppy sea (WaPo)

Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Rami Malek Among Actors Urging SAG-AFTRA Leaders to Take a Hard Line: ‘This Is Not a Moment to Meet in the Middle’ (Variety)

MLB denies request to revoke Giants' territory rights, give San Jose a team (Yahoo! Sports)

For Ugandan catcher, 'quitting is not an option' (MLB)

And some longer reads:

Heat and smoke are smothering most of the U.S., putting lives at risk (WaPo)

Democratic Frustration Grows as Right-Wing Figures Push RFK Jr. (The Messenger)

Lawmakers are at odds over bail reform: Here’s what to watch in talks this summer (NH Bulletin)

‘People still do not want women to succeed or be equal. While that is true, you need Virago’: 50 years of the warrior publisher (The Guardian)

MLB Player Poll 2023: Their thoughts on new rules, expansion teams and Shohei Ohtani (The Athletic)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/28/23)

Wednesday! We're getting there!

Russian General Knew About Mercenary Chief’s Rebellion Plans, U.S. Officials Say (NYT)

This is big: Supreme Court rejects Independent State Legislature theory, but leaves door ajar (NPR)

Dahlia Lithwick: The Supreme Court’s Latest Decision Is a Big Fat Rebuke to Donald Trump’s Jan. 6 Claims (Slate)

Ukraine defence minister expects Nato ‘guarantee’ after war (The Guardian)

Three survivors of Tulsa Race Massacre receive $1 million donation (CNN)

More out-of-state residents coming to NH for abortions, providers say (NHPR)

Estonia Becomes First Former Soviet Nation to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage (The Messenger)

Fan-funded A’s ‘SELL’ shirt heading to Baseball Hall of Fame (The Athletic)

Yeah, this feels correct: ‘Wheel of Fortune’: Ryan Seacrest Takes Over as Host After Pat Sajak Retires (Variety)

Excavators find image of pizza’s possible precursor among Pompeii ruins (WaPo)

And some longer reads:

What the Supreme Court's rejection of a controversial theory means for elections (NPR)

A year after Roe: Equality Health Center in Concord a focal point for abortion debate (NHPR)

Pride on the Picket Lines: LGBTQ+ Writers Fight for ‘True Representation’ in WGA Strike (The Messenger)

Baseball nuts Alex Cora, Masataka Yoshida bonding over their shared obsession (The Athletic)

In These Thrillers, the Setting Becomes a Pivotal Character (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/27/23)

I guess it's only Tuesday, somehow.

Russia drops charges against mercenary leader and others involved in brief rebellion (NPR)

The Timing of Alito’s Private Jet Scandal Couldn’t Be More Damning (Slate)

Casper Star-Tribune: Judge blocks Wyoming's first-in-nation ban on medication abortion (CNN)

Bill Would Ban Care for Transgender Veterans; Medical Consensus Tells Us That’s a Mistake (The Messenger)

Stonewall National Monument vandalised three times during Pride Month: ‘So much hatred in the air right now’ (Pink News)

'I came prepared for them': Nashua Pride attendees worry about hate groups in NH (NHPR)

Meteorologist resigns, citing PTSD from threats over climate change coverage (WaPo)

The Not-So-Hidden Forces We Can’t Contain (Baseball Prospectus)

Why Do Runners Still Race With Paper Pinned to Their Shirts? (NYT)

Trumpington burial: Teenage Anglo-Saxon girl's face revealed (BBC)

And some longer reads:

How Dowries Are Fuelling a Femicide Epidemic (New Yorker)

Olympic Swimming in the Seine? How Paris Is Remaking a River. (NYT)

Hidden Beneath the Surface (WaPo)

Caroline Calloway Survived Cancellation. Now She’s Doubling Down (Vanity Fair)

A fascinating bit of history: Dave Brown (Society for American Baseball Research)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/26/23)

Today is Monday and my project for this week is . . . buying a car I hope?? Here's my weekly TV news roundup at The Televixen.

After its march toward Moscow, what's next for Russia's Wagner Group? (NPR)

Ukrainians adjust to life with a constant threat from airstrikes (WaPo)

Ugh: The Federal Election Commission Splits 3-3 on Petition to Regulate AI Political Ads (The Messenger)

NY designates state a ‘safe haven’ for trans youth, families and health providers (Gothamist)

The budget removes limits on campaign donations. Not all are thrilled. (NH Bulletin)

Ex-scouts sue MLB for age discrimination (The Athletic)

Whoa: Famed Wine Store Sherry-Lehmann Faces Criminal Investigation (NYT)

New research from Dartmouth shows increase in extreme precipitation in the Northeast by the end of the century (NHPR)

So Why Did Big New York Publishers Reject Richard North Patterson’s New Novel? (Slate)

‘Highly unusual’: lost 17th-century portrait of black and white women as equals saved for UK (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

A year since Dobbs, these are the many ways states are protecting abortion (NPR)

Welcome to Houston’s No-Longer-Independent School District (Texas Monthly)

Inside a conservative confab for young women, where feminism is a lie (WaPo)

Why the splitter could flip from baseball taboo to popular experiment for MLB pitchers (Yahoo! Sports)

Lesser Known Queer Literary Icons (Book Riot)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/25/23)

Today is Sunday!

U.S. Suspected Prigozhin Was Preparing to Take Military Action Against Russia (NYT)

The mutiny in Russia may be over. But it still damages Putin (NPR)

37 people missing after boat capsizes between Tunisia and Lampedusa (The Guardian)

Clarence Thomas Went After My Work. His Criticisms Reveal a Disturbing Fact About Originalism. (Slate)

Well this sounds terrible: U.S. Catholic bishops to create first guidelines for transgender health care (WaPo)

It absolutely is not! Elon Musk claims use of ‘cis’ and ‘cisgender’ on Twitter is ‘harassment’, threatens to suspend users (Pink News)

Starbucks Agrees to Give Unionized Workers Back Pay for Missed UW Game Shifts (Eater)

How New Hampshire's housing crisis is making it hard to hold onto essential health workers (NHPR)

Heh: White House Alarms Triggered After Deer Jumps Over Fence, Hangs Out on Lawn (The Messenger)

Aww: Bo Naylor collected his first major league hit, and his brother Josh went nuts celebrating (Yahoo! Sports)

And some longer reads:

The Supreme Court’s latest opinion means innocent people must remain in prison (Vox)

Power of the Sash: How a beauty pageant became a platform for change in South Africa (NPR)

New England’s electric grid could be more stable than anticipated in the next few winters (NHPR)

For One Special Year, America’s First LGBTQ Cable Show Aired in Texas (Texas Monthly)

Chronicler of the Flower Moon (The Ringer)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/24/23)

It's a rainy Saturday morning here and I'm trying to decide how committed I am to the farmer's market.

Wagner chief claims to have seized military sites in Rostov as Moscow implements anti-terror measures (The Guardian)

U.S. can send more aid to Ukraine thanks to $6.2 billion accounting error (WaPo)

This is huge: Red States Just Lost Big at the Supreme Court (Slate)

This probably won't work, but I'm glad they're trying: Lawmakers to take up legislation that would eliminate ‘gay panic’ legal defense (NH Bulletin)

(This actually goes way beyond decorations - check out this Twitter thread for more.) U.S. Starbucks workers join in a weeklong strike over stores not allowing Pride décor (NPR)

In other labor news: UPS Workers Authorize Teamsters Union to Call Strike (NYT)

Good! Nashua Planning Board rejects proposal for controversial asphalt plant (NHPR)

The Most Requested LGBTQ+ Books in Classroom Libraries — and How to Help on DonorsChoose (Book Riot)

I cannot wait to watch this game: De La Cruz goes for cycle and Votto hits 2 clutch homers as streaking Reds stop Braves 11-10 (AP)

His layoff is such a loss: Fegan: The White Sox feats that expanded my mind, in baseball and in life (The Athletic)

And some longer reads:

U.S. and Iran in indirect talks over nuclear program and prisoners (WaPo)

The Texas Rangers are MLB’s only team without a Pride Night. That’s unlikely to change (The Athletic)

Related: Don’t Look Away from Queer Despair (Slate)

Black Women Are Being Erased in Book Publishing (Electric Lit)

‘The Flash’ Is the Depressing Culmination of the Great IP Experiment (The Ringer)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/23/23) - Friday Happy Links!

Whew, we made it to Friday!

You Can Watch Three of the Country’s Biggest Pride Parades Live This Sunday (them)

I'm so glad he's back: Joey Votto returns and fits right in for the Reds: ‘He’s a Hall of Famer’ (The Athletic)

So excited! THE WHEEL OF TIME: Prime Video Releases New Season 2 Photos (GMMR)

This GAME was not fun to watch but this PERFORMANCE was: White Sox’s Zach Remillard Performs MLB Debut Feat Unseen Since 1901 (SI)

I love her: Sex Education star Gillian Anderson is ‘thrilled’ to have made a generation of people gay (Pink News)

Whoa: ‘The Vampyre: Blood & Ink’: Malcolm McDowell And Derek Jacobi Attached To Lead Feature Adaptation Of John William Polidori’s Classic Gothic Novel (Deadline)

This sounds great: Cover + Excerpt Reveal: A Lady to Treasure by Marianne Ratcliffe (LGBTQ Reads)

Fug Nation Loves Delightful, Possibly Unhinged Items for the 4th of July! (GFY)

What I Need Is a Literary Mood Ring (Tor)

The Most Memorable Libraries in Fiction (Book Riot)

And some longer reads:

Inside the Last Old-School Seltzer Shop in New York (NYT)

These posts are always expensive: Most Anticipated Young Adult Fiction: July-December 2023 (LGBTQ Reads)

Identifying baseball pitch types in 2023: A modern field guide to MLB’s diversifying arsenals (Yahoo! Sports)

Dazzling Dangles and Studs: Earrings for Children's Book Lovers (Book Riot)

Historical Mystery Reads for When Summer Is Calling Your Name (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/22/23)

Thursday! We're almost there!

U.S., West pledge billions for Ukraine reconstruction (WaPo)

A Russian court upholds a Wall Street Journal reporter’s detention. (NYT)

SIGH: House votes to censure Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff (NPR)

Salem man with alleged ties to white supremacist group arrested in connection with Jan. 6 riot (NHPR)

Good: Federal judge strikes down Florida’s ban on Medicaid funding for transgender treatment (AP)

Judge to unseal identities of 3 people who backed George Santos' $500K bond (CBS News)

Addiction Treatment Medicine Is Vastly Underprescribed, Especially by Race, Study Finds (NYT)

‘Unheard of’ marine heatwave off UK and Irish coasts poses serious threat (The Guardian)

How MLB Took Over a Regional Sports Network in 24 Hours (THR)

Streaming Shocker: Warner Bros. Discovery In Talks To License HBO Original Series To Netflix  (Deadline)

And some longer reads:

A tale of two disasters: Missing Titanic sub captivates the world days after deadly migrant shipwreck (NBC News)

Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court (ProPublica)

What Climate Change Could Mean for the Coffee You Drink (NYT)

Was it a miracle? In Connecticut, the Catholic Church investigates. (WaPo)

Great piece: Show Your Pride (Night) (South Side Sox)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/21/23)

Today is . . . Wednesday, I guess!

Half of this headline is, obviously, a joke: Hunter Biden Will Plead to Federal Charges as Trump Concedes Double Standard Argument Is No Longer Valid (Slate)

‘Political provocation’: China hits back as Biden calls Xi ‘dictator’ (The Guardian)

Search intensifies for the missing submersible as underwater noises are detected (NPR)

NH officials say they're looking into neo-Nazi incident outside drag story hour in Concord (NHPR)

Yay!! First in the nation gender-affirming care ban struck down in Arkansas (KUAR)

Terrifying: Italian prosecutor demands cancellation of birth certificates for lesbian couples (NBC News)

F.D.A. Panel Advises Vaccine Makers to Aim at Only One Covid Variant (NYT)

!! Nationals, Orioles reach agreement on past MASN payments (WaPo)

The Same Work but a Lot Less Pay for Women. Welcome to Tennis in 2023. (NYT)

Aww, this is all so great: White Sox sign boy battling cancer to honorary one-day contract (MLB)

And some longer reads:

OceanGate Was Warned of Potential for ‘Catastrophic’ Problems With Titanic Mission (NYT)

How new Twitter rules could hinder war crimes research and rescue efforts (WaPo)

The Restaurant Industry Has a Child Labor Problem (Eater)

The Wrong Lessons Learned (Baseball Prospectus)

How to Think Like a Costume Designer When Writing Historical Fiction (LitHub)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/20/23)

It's a Tuesday that feels like a Monday, and somehow we're 2/3 through the month already?

I hope they are found safely, but also, this seems like a TERRIBLE idea: A search is underway for a missing submersible that brings tourists to the Titanic (NPR)

As Modi visits White House, India’s reliance on Russian arms constrains him (WaPo)

Good: Andrew Tate charged with rape and human trafficking (BBC)

French police search Paris Olympics HQ amid embezzlement investigation (The Guardian)

This is awful: Manchester's only women's shelter to close due to funding shortfall (NHPR)

A ‘Soda Ocean’ on a Moon of Saturn Has All the Ingredients for Life (NYT)

Just 37 members of Congress are mothers with minor children (The 19th*)

Amid Catholic push to govern gender expression, a Boston parish staffer focuses on trans inclusion (WBUR)

Aww: A former MLB pitcher and his umpire father’s unforgettable moment in Cooperstown (The Athletic)

Carol Higgins Clark, Mystery Writer, Is Dead at 66 (NYT)

And some longer reads:

I see: FBI resisted opening probe into Trump’s role in Jan. 6 for more than a year (WaPo)

Out of Balance: The World Bank Group enabled the devastation of villages and helped a mining company justify the deaths of endangered chimps with a dubious offset. (ProPublica)

Black Artists Embrace Ancient Egypt. Egyptians Aren’t Happy About It. (NYT)

Braves veteran Charlie Morton opines on sticky stuff and a better way to control it (The Athletic)

Gibraltar: Crime on the Rock (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/19/23)

Today is Monday. Happy Juneteenth! Here's my weekly TV news roundup at the Televixen.

Juneteenth, the newest federal holiday, is gaining awareness (NPR)

State appeals dismissal of civil rights case against regional white supremacist group (NHPR)

Communities of Color Have Suffered Environmental Injustice for Far Too Long (NYT)

Blinken meets China’s Xi Jinping amid effort to ease tensions (WaPo)

Heavy casualties on both sides as Ukraine offensive edges forward (The Guardian)

Iowa, New Hampshire Democratic presidential contests remain in flux after DNC panel meets (NH Bulletin)

Ugh: Texas Officially Bans So-Called "Sexually Explicit" Books; Demands Book Ratings from Vendors (Book Riot)

The Dirty Secret of Corporate Pride (Slate)

‘The world’s largest Black group chat’: Behind the mission to preserve Black Twitter (The 19th*)

Divers Are About to Pull a 3,000-Year-Old Shipwreck From the Depths (Smithsonian)

And some longer reads:

This is an essential read about what's currently going on with baseball: I Was Supposed to Write About Elly De La Cruz Today (Fangraphs)

To fight Putin, Russian militias aid Ukraine with cross-border attacks (WaPo)

How a Grad Student Uncovered the Largest Known Slave Auction in the U.S. (ProPublica)

From Alpacas to Yaks, Mammal DNA Yields Its Secrets (NYT)

Harnessing the Storm: Six Crime Novels That Feature Natural Disasters (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/18/23)

Today is Sunday! Happy Father's Day to the dads out there!

In China, Blinken Faces Clashing Agendas and a Question: Will Xi Show Up? (NYT)

The Surprising Reason Neil Gorsuch Has Been So Good on Native Rights (Slate)

‘Indefensible’: Michael Gove apologises for Tory HQ Partygate video (BBC)

I'm not a fan of Eric Adams, but this is good: NYC mayor signs “sanctuary” order protecting gender-affirming care seekers (LGBTQ Nation)

For Native women in power in Minnesota, confronting the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous people is personal (The 19th*)

The A’s Could Have Made Money in Oakland (Baseball Prospectus)

40 years ago, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space (NPR)

West Virginia’s Bob Huggins resigns, intends to retire after arrest on DUI charge (WaPo)

Estuaries in New Hampshire are still ‘fairly sick,’ but showing signs of improvement (NHPR)

How to Be a Regency Lady Sleuth (CrimeReads)

And some longer reads:

An important Ukraine story: An Inside Job (NYT)

Daniel Ellsberg’s Life Beyond the Pentagon Papers (New Yorker)

Wisconsin Republicans Sowed Distrust Over Elections. Now They May Push Out the State’s Top Election Official. (ProPublica)

MLB leaves Pride event questions to teams, with mixed answers (WaPo)

Latinx Horror and Crime Fiction to Check Out in 2023 (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/17/23)

Today is Saturday and there's . . . lots of news.

This is huge and amazing: The Supreme Court leaves Indian Child Welfare Act intact (NPR)

Uganda school attack: Pupils among 40 killed by militants linked to Islamic State group (BBC)

Focus of war shifting south towards Mariupol, Ukrainian minister says (The Guardian)

Gunman in Pittsburgh synagogue shooting found guilty in 2018 massacre (WaPo)

Deadlocked Iowa Supreme Court will not reinstate 6-week abortion ban (Iowa Public)

The Biggest Questions—and Dangers—in the Trump Documents Case (Slate)

Yes: Several NH mayors, police chiefs say it’s time to give undocumented immigrants access to IDs (NHPR)

Ugh: The Starbucks Union Claims the Company Is Taking Down Pride Decorations (Eater)

Some of the details here!! Harvard Medical School morgue manager accused of stealing, selling human body parts as part of 'nationwide network' (WBUR)

One of the good ones: Gausman finds value in baseball's diversity (MLB)

And some longer reads:

Minneapolis police discriminated, used excessive force for years, DOJ says (WaPo)

Inside North Korea: "We Are Stuck, Waiting to Die" (BBC)

Ukraine’s Counter-Offensive, and What Comes After (New Yorker)

Daniel Ellsberg, Who Leaked the Pentagon Papers, Is Dead at 92 (NYT)

MLB commissioner reveals his goal for Pride season is to protect homophobes & it didn’t go over well (Queerty)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/16/23) - Friday Happy Links!

Whew, it's Friday, so as is traditional we'll take a break from the news for some happy links.

Sesame Street has been celebrating Pride all month long & it is adorable (LGBTQ Nation)

Ooh yay: ‘The Marlow Murder Club’: PBS Masterpiece & UKTV Greenlight TV Adaptation From ‘Death In Paradise’ Creator (Deadline)

Drip you can drop: The surprisingly affordable accessory sweeping baseball (Yahoo! Sports)

Paul McCartney's photos of early Beatlemania are in a book and on display in London (NPR)

Such a good list: Pride: A YA Read­ing List (Jewish Book Council)

How a rookie is overpowering everyone with one pitch (MLB)

A Piña Colada for Every Mood (Punch)

The Lure of the Bookshop Setting (CrimeReads)

This sounds great: No Fuss Strawberry Cream Pretzel Tart. (Half-Baked Harvest)

‘Astonishing’ Roman tomb unearthed near London Bridge station (The Guardian)

And some longer reads:

Meet the Hot Boys of the Steamy Red, White & Royal Blue Movie (GQ)

This post will be very expensive: Most Anticipated Adult Fiction, July-December 2023 (LGBTQ Reads)

Prayer Book Owned by Thomas Cromwell, Adviser to Henry VIII, Was Hidden in Plain Sight for Centuries (Smithsonian)

Reading Black Joy: 27 F/F Romances by Black Authors (The Lesbrary)

9 Books Illustrating Agatha Christie’s Enduring Presence in Our Cultural Zeitgeist (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/15/23)

It's Thursday and somehow we're halfway through June already??

Boris Johnson deliberately misled parliament over Partygate, MPs find (The Guardian)

Jamelle Bouie: Republicans Have Made Their Choice (NYT)

I know who's a danger to children and it's not trans folx. 9-Year-Old Girl With Short Hair Left Sobbing After Being Attacked for Being Trans (TNR)

Forget ‘small-town values.’ We need candidates with big-city values. (WaPo)

Southern Baptists say no to women pastors, uphold expulsion of Saddleback megachurch (NPR)

Not good! At least 45,000 in NH have lost Medicaid since COVID-19 protections expired (NHPR)

Robert Gottlieb, Eminent Editor From le Carré to Clinton, Dies at 92 (NYT)

This is a bad idea in like 15 different ways. MLB intends to curb team spending on tech; staffing limits also discussed, officials say (The Athletic)

Scientists Extract Rocks From Earth’s Mantle (Smithsonian)

The Expatriates: Spy Fiction's Hapless Unfortunates (CrimeReads)

And some longer reads:

A Star Reporter's Break with Reality (The Atlantic)

Liberals try to reclaim ‘parents’ rights’ from conservatives in education (WaPo)

The Prince With No Throne (NYT)

The Zombies Are Attacking Your Home (Team), Reconsidered (Baseball Prospectus)

C.S. Harris Considers the Art of Historical Fiction (CrimeReads)

Book Review: Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler

Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler
YA contemporary
Wednesday Books
June 13, 2023

A queer Sliding Doors rom-com in which a girl must choose between summer in NYC with her dad (and the girl she's always wanted) or LA with her estranged mom (and the guy she never saw coming).

Confession: I usually hate Sliding Doors-type stories. Something about them, or choose your own adventure, or even anything with mirror universe doubles, makes me extremely anxious. I only read this one because I've loved all Dahlia Adler's other books. And I'm extremely glad I did, because this was great and I actually enjoyed it so much! I don't want to spoil anything, but I think it's helped by the fact that the double timelines and how they wind up are not actually stressful here at all. It's not that the characters don't deal with anything difficult, they do, but, as as it says in the marketing copy, there's more than one path to happily ever ever.

I wound up almost equally invested in both timelines, which was a nice surprise, and in a large part due to the great cast of supporting characters in both, including love interests, friends, and parents. The main character is bi and there's lots of different LGBTQIAP+ rep in her friend groups, and we also get to see the role her Judaism plays in her life - and a ton of delicious-sounding Shabbat dinners, among other mouth-watering food descriptions. Seriously, I wanted both a playlist and a cookbook to go along with this book.

This is a perfect summer read for anyone, but especially for teens (or adults!) who need some reassurance about the fact that their future doesn't necessarily hinge on every small decision and that there are multiple paths in life that can be valid and rewarding and great.

Author's Site | Amazon | Bookshop

I received a review copy from NetGalley, and Dahlia is a friend, but I would never tell you I liked something if I didn't.

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/14/23)

I guess it's Wednesday! We're getting there!

Trump pleads not guilty to all 37 charges in classified documents case (NPR)

What Will Come From This Indictment (Slate)

Ukraine urges G7 to clamp down after western parts found in Russian missiles (The Guardian)

Google’s Online Advertising Practices Violate Antitrust Laws, E.U. Says (NYT)

Today’s GOP is the product of Pat Robertson’s anti-LGBTQ+, Christian nationalist vision (LGBTQ Nation)

Andrew Tate: Romanian prosecutors ramp up human trafficking allegations (BBC)

John Fisher is redefining sports owner malpractice as he spitefully tries to move his Oakland A's to Las Vegas (CBS)

How NH's next state budget could affect funding for housing, healthcare and more (NHPR)

How to stop bullies who insist on enforcing the gender binary (WaPo)

Cormac McCarthy, Novelist of a Darker America, Is Dead at 89 (NYT)

And some longer reads:

Spy hunt or witch hunt? Ukrainians fear the two are merging (Politico EU)

A’s Fans Reverse Boycott to Show the Problem Is Ownership, Not Oakland (Baseball Prospectus)

As New Hampshire considers cannabis legalization, economic justice fades from view (NH Bulletin)

Meet the climate hackers of Malawi. (NYT)

Buon Viaggio with Books Set in Italy (Book Riot)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/13/23)

I swear it has already been a long week, but I guess it's . . . Tuesday?

If you read one thing for me today, please make it this: No Straights at Pride Night (Defector)

The National Security Fallout From the Trump Documents Case Is Still Happening (Slate)

Ron DeSantis Thinks Trump Didn’t Go Far Enough (NYT)

NH could still be affected by Canada’s wildfire smoke, experts say (NHPR)

Outrage at jail sentence for woman who took abortion pills later than UK limit (The Guardian)

White Mountains Pride leaders express disappointment after library cancels Drag Story Hour (NHPR)

Greta Thunberg holds last school strike as climate activist graduates (WaPo)

Loving Day Vermont celebrates marriage equality and pushes for greater racial justice (Vermont Public)

Wow, end of an era: Pat Sajak to Retire as ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host (THR)

Dick Clark Productions, Todd Boehly’s Eldridge Acquire Golden Globe Awards as Hollywood Foreign Press Association Shutters (Variety)

And some longer reads:

Photos: Flood Damage After the Destruction of Ukraine’s Kakhovka Dam (The Atlantic)

How the right’s defeats gave us the anti-LGBTQ moment (Vox)

The Incredible Women Wrestlers Who Pinned India’s Prime Minister (Slate)

A Case of the Disappearing Waves (NYT)

Is Philly’s pitch clock quicker than other MLB parks? The Phillies — and data — say so (The Athletic)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/12/23)

Whew, Monday. Here's my TV news roundup for the week at The Televixen.

Trump’s Miami court date brings fears of violence, rally plans (WaPo)

Trump Indictment Shows Critical Evidence Came From One of His Own Lawyers (NYT)

Police release Nicola Sturgeon without charge (BBC)

Silvio Berlusconi, scandal-ridden former Italian prime minister, dies aged 86 (The Guardian)

This is awful, but amazing that apparently no one was hurt. A section of I-95 in Philadelphia has collapsed after a tanker truck fire (NPR)

No thank you! Cheshire County sheriff, NH education commissioner suggest placing armed civilian guards in local schools (NHPR)

New SNAP rules come as state struggles to reach thousands eligible for help but not getting it (NH Bulletin)

Yay!! J. Harrison Ghee and Alex Newell Make History as First Nonbinary Acting Winners at Tony Awards (Variety)

This is very cute: That was easy! Crawford relishes pitching debut (MLB)

Meet The Man Putting The Faroe Islands On The Global Film & TV Map (Deadline)

And some longer reads:

Fear and Mayhem as Russia’s War Comes Home (NYT)

These front page comparisons are always so interesting: Scotland's papers: 'I am innocent' says Nicola Sturgeon (BBC)

How does trauma spill from one generation to the next? (WaPo)

The hidden lives of interpreters to MLB’s Asian stars: ‘These guys are lifelines’ (The Athletic)

Of Songs and Stories: What Bruce Springsteen Learned From Flannery O’Connor (LitHub)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/11/23)

Today is Sunday!

Ukraine counter-offensive actions have begun, Zelensky says (BBC)

Meet Diia: the Ukrainian app used to do taxes … and report Russian soldiers (The Guardian)

Cuba is hosting a Chinese spy station, White House says (WaPo)

The Indictment Is Stunning. Will Trump Supporters Care? (The Atlantic)

Progressive Judges May Have Found a Use for Clarence Thomas’ Terrible Guns Ruling (Slate)

Ted Kaczynski, known as the 'Unabomber,' has died in prison at age 81Ted Kaczynski, known as the 'Unabomber,' has died in prison at age 81 (NPR)

22 suspected members of New Hampshire drug trafficking ring charged (NHPR)

'Homophobia remains rampant': Jamaica Plain church defaced with anti-LGBTQ messages (WBUR)

Climate change could drive migration to New England. Some communities are starting to plan. (NHPR)

Enjoying this continued Pride Month energy!! ("Controversial" means "homophobic," to be clear.) Red Sox DFA controversial P Matt Dermody (Deadspin)

And some longer reads:

Trump’s path to indictment: ‘Isn’t it better if there are no documents?’ (WaPo)

Yasmin Benoit is NYC Pride’s first asexual grand marshal & she’s ready to change the status quo (LGBTQ Nation)

To find right whales, some scientists want to find their food's food (WBUR)

Untangling Rosalind Franklin’s Role in DNA Discovery, 70 Years On (NYT)

After 50 years, is this the San Diego Chicken’s last stand? (The Athletic)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/10/23)

It's Saturday and there's, uh, been some news, huh?

All your favorite news outlets are analyzing the Trump indictment, but here's a free, concise summary: These are the charges Trump was indicted on and what they mean (NPR)

Less flashy but honestly, equally huge news: John Roberts and Brett Kavanaugh Really Did Just Save the Voting Rights Act (Slate)

Truly great timing here while everyone is distracted by Trump: Boris Johnson resigns as MP, accusing Commons investigation of attempting to ‘drive me out’ (CNN)

Ukraine's counter-offensive against Russia under way (BBC)

Those older siblings keeping that baby alive!! I cried. Colombian ‘miracle’ children found alive 40 days after Amazon jungle plane crash (The Guardian)

I'm so glad they were made to see reason here: Anthony Bass, pitcher who shared homophobic video, cut before Jays’ Pride celebration (WaPo)

Wow: State budget debate ends quickly as House endorses $15.2 billion Senate package as is (NHPR)

New York Failed the Smoke Test (The Atlantic)

Good: Sex ed program may resume, over objections of Executive Council Republicans (NH Bulletin)

These specific stats are a month out of date now but I thought the analysis was fascinating: Luis Arraez, .400, and BABOOP (Baseball Prospectus)

And some longer reads:

The Stupidest Crimes Imaginable (The Atlantic)

It’s Pride Month. Here’s how LGBTQ rights fared around the world this year. (WaPo)

She Redefined Trauma. Then Trauma Redefined Her. (NYT)

Are sliders destined to overtake fastballs as baseball's primary pitch? (Yahoo! Sports)

10 Eco-Fiction Novels Worth Celebrating (Tor)

An Open Letter to the Toronto Blue Jays

You can send the Blue Jays your own feedback at fanfeedback@bluejays.com.

Hi Blue Jays! I'm a queer baseball fan who subscribed to MLBTV this year to be able to watch a larger variety of games, and I have enjoyed watching a whole bunch of Blue Jays games so far this season. I usually pick which game to watch on any given day in part based on my feelings about the pitchers involved. Now, usually - and preferably - those feelings are based on their actual pitching abilities. Unfortunately, now when I'm deciding whether to watch a Blue Jays game, you've put me in the position of thinking "Sure, I'd like to watch a Kevin Gausman or Chris Bassitt start, but does that mean I'm going to end up watching a reliever who thinks I'm evil and demonic?"

It's one thing, I suppose, to continue employing a player who amplifies hate speech and then - in his so-called apology! - doubles down on the fact that yes, according to his beliefs it is evil and demonic to support a segment of the fan base who belongs to a marginalized group. But it's quite another to center this person at a Pride event by having him catch the first pitch. Pride should center LGBTQIAP+ people. Pride should not be used as a mere vehicle for the PR rehabilitation of a straight cis man who has shown no hints of reconsidering his homophobia and transphobia. I genuinely hope that Anthony Bass does learn and grow in his beliefs, but there has been no evidence of that as yet.

I live in New Hampshire and have been looking forward to attending some Fisher Cats games this season - including their Pride Night in a few weeks - but now their affiliation with the Blue Jays is making me wonder whether that event will actually be a safe and welcoming place for me and my friends.

Thanks,

Katherine Welsh

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/9/23)

Well there has certainly been NEWS but it is FRIDAY so we are RESPECTING THE HAPPY LINKS. News tomorrow!

I am SO excited for this: Fellow Travelers: Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey Make Love Across Four Decades in Sweeping Showtime Limited Series — Watch First Trailer (TVLine)

Also excited for this new monthly column by Dahlia Adler! June 2023 Queer Romances (Smart Bitches, Trashy Books)

In Nashua, one group is trying to nurture residents’ curiosity to grow their own food (NHPR)

Hallmark Reveals 2023 Christmas in July Lineup, Including 2 New Movies (TV Insider)

This is so cute and I will definitely be buying it for kids in my life: Exclusive Cover Reveal: It’s Pride, Baby! by Allen R. Wells and Dia Valle (LGBTQ Reads)

!! ‘The Constant Gardener’ Limited TV Series In The Works (Deadline)

The Best Road Trip Nonfiction to Get You in the Mood for Summer (Book Riot)

This is so cool: Watching over the watchers (WaPo)

When You Wish Upon a Jewish Star (Bookishly Jewish)

The Country House Murder Mystery . . . in America (CrimeReads)

And some longer Friday reads:

Dylan Mulvaney Is Ready for Life After “Girlhood” (them)

The Most Anticipated LGBTQ YA Books of Summer 2023 (Paste)

The Stealth Campaign That’s Getting Your Kids Hooked on Chess (NYT)

Correct: These 12 Instagram Accounts Will Make You Want To Visit London Right Now (SSoP)

Fascinating if you're, uh, into this kind of thing: How Bryce Miller, the Mariners’ newest young pitcher, honed his arsenal (The Athletic)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/8/23)

I kept thinking yesterday was Thursday, but NOW it's Thursday.

Prosecutors Tell Trump’s Legal Team He Is a Target of Investigation (NYT)

Ukraine launches counteroffensive against Russia (WaPo)

What to Do When the Sun Turns Red (Slate)

Ugh: Judge dismisses civil rights case against NSC-131, a blow to prosecutors seeking to rein in white supremacist group (NHPR)

I see: Supreme Court justices, minus Thomas, and Alito, file financial disclosure reports (NPR)

Montana Officials Canceled a Trans Woman’s Library Event Citing Anti-Drag Law (them)

Diamond Sports vs. MLB: Breaking down details of last week’s marathon hearing (The Athletic)

New England's electric grid operator says it's ready for summer, but severe heat could prompt calls for conservation (NHPR)

Weed-spliced concrete block at flower show highlights green space disparities in Chelsea (The Guardian)

On the Enduring Charms and Sly Wit of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (CrimeReads)

And some longer reads:

How the far right tore apart one of the best tools to fight voter fraud (NPR)

U.S. had intelligence of detailed Ukrainian plan to attack Nord Stream pipeline (WaPo)

Chris Licht Is Out at CNN, Leaving Network at a Crossroads (NYT)

How one group is bridging the gap on gender-affirming resources in New Hampshire (NHPR)

Crime and the City: Lhasa (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/7/23)

Today is Wednesday, I guess!

This is so so scary: Glendale school district meeting about LGBTQ studies gets violent (LA Blade)

Trump Is Telling Us How He’ll Respond to Future Indictments (Slate)

Warning that a crowded GOP field helps Trump, Sununu says he's not running for president — but he'll back the nominee (NHPR)

I cannot believe (that's rhetorical; I can totally believe) we're at "he'll be fun to watch!" again. ‘A Guided Missile Aimed Rhetorically at Trump.’ Our Columnists and Writers Discuss Chris Christie. (NYT)

How Canadian wildfires are worsening U.S. air quality and what you can do to cope (NPR)

NTSB examines wreckage of plane intercepted after F-16 sonic boom (WaPo)

PGA’s ‘merger’ with LIV can’t be seen as anything other than a Saudi victory (The Guardian)

So glad she did this: Pelosi throws out first pitch during Nationals’ LGBTQ Pride event (Politico)

Rachel Maddow Expands Her NBCUniversal Podcast Empire With New Show: “Déjà News” (THR)

Astrud Gilberto, 83, Dies; Shot to Fame With ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ (NYT)

And some longer reads:

Damage to Russian-held hydroelectric plant floods south Ukraine battlefield (WaPo)

Can Africa Get Close to Vaccine Independence? Here’s What It Will Take. (NYT)

How the Pirates’ Mitch Keller transformed himself from one of MLB’s worst pitchers (The Athletic)

Why Is Everyone Watching TV With the Subtitles On? (The Atlantic)

The New Classics of Southern Crime Fiction (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/6/23)

I guess somehow it's only Tuesday.

Nova Kakhovka dam destroyed on Ukraine’s front lines, causing flooding and evacuations (WaPo)

Jamelle Bouie: There Is One Group the Roberts Court Really Doesn’t Like (NYT)

Thanks I hate it: Oklahoma approves first US taxpayer-funded religious charter school (BBC)

Good: NH Senate votes to legalize fentanyl, xylazine test strips (NHPR)

Child Labor Is on the Rise (New Yorker)

SAG-AFTRA members approve strike authorization by overwhelming margin (LA Times)

Also: DGA Deal Provides Pay Hikes, But Streaming Residual Still Not Tied to Show’s Success (Variety)

Robert Hanssen, an FBI agent who was convicted of spying for Russia, dies in prison (NPR)

Wealthy firms buying Scottish land pose risk of greater inequality, study warns (The Guardian)

I watched this on replay last night and I'm just so happy for him: White Sox’s Liam Hendriks earns first win of season on National Cancer Survivors Day (The Athletic)

And some longer reads:

Fake Signals and American Insurance: How a Dark Fleet Moves Russian Oil (NYT)

Inside the Meltdown at CNN (The Atlantic)

The revolt of the Christian home-schoolers (WaPo)

The Swarm of Relievers (Baseball Prospectus)

How Ian Fleming Wrote Casino Royale and Changed Spy Fiction Forever (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/5/23)

Oof, Monday again. Here's my TV news roundup at The Televixen.

Ukraine: significant escalation in fighting reported in Donetsk region (The Guardian)

China tightens access to Tiananmen Square while 32 are detained in Hong Kong (NPR)

Sonic boom in D.C. region caused by F-16s intercepting Cessna (WaPo)

The Supreme Court Has a New Bold Lone Dissenter (Slate)

Ron DeSantis’s Joyless Ride (The Atlantic)

Alabama Discriminated Against Black Residents Over Sewage, Justice Dept. Says (NYT)

Judge orders NHPR to turn over unpublished reporter material in defamation lawsuit (NHPR)

Pre-Recorded Tracks In David Byrne’s ‘Here Lies Love’ Pit Broadway Musicians Against Producers (Deadline)

A mysterious rare orchid makes its home in New Hampshire’s forests (NH Bulletin)

This was WILD: Aaron Judge breaks through Dodger Stadium gate for catch of the year candidate (Yahoo! Sports)

And some longer reads:

How a Fringe Legal Theory Became a Threat to Democracy (New Yorker)

He Told Followers to Starve to Meet Jesus. Why Did So Many Do It? (NYT)

Arizona’s water troubles show how climate change is reshaping the West (WaPo)

Prestige TV Has Taken a Page Out of Sportswriting’s Media Playbook (The Ringer)

7 Historical Novels with Mysteries at Their Center (CrimeReads)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/4/23)

Today is Sunday and I DEFINITELY stayed up too late reading a good book last night.

India train disaster: signal fault blamed as wreckage cleared from track (The Guardian)

NATO-trained units will serve as tip of spear in Ukraine’s counteroffensive (WaPo)

Texas Is Silencing the Will of Millions of Voters (NYT)

Good news: A federal judge rejects Tennessee's anti-drag law as too broad and vague (NPR)

I see: YouTube stops deleting false 2020 election claims (BBC)

Sure, I guess. Executive Councilor Cinde Warmington announces campaign for NH governor (NHPR)

How do you define God’s work? In defense of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (The Athletic)

Five ways the Senate budget would affect school funding (NH Bulletin)

Directors Guild Reaches Tentative Deal With Studios and Streamers (THR)

How to Freeze Pretty Much Anything (Eater)

And some longer reads:

A night in Ukraine’s sleepless capital, taking cover from Russian bombs (WaPo)

The Sound and Fury of the House Freedom Caucus (New Yorker)

A Korean American connects her past and future through photography (NPR)

The Land Beneath This Stadium Once Was Theirs. They Want It Back. (NYT)

8 of the Best LGBTQ-Inclusive Books About Parenting and Pregnancy (Book Riot)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/3/23)

Today is Saturday, and my plan is to do a million errands so I can finally start my garden!

This is awful: ‘Wailing for help’: passengers and bystanders tell of India train crash horror (The Guardian)

Eyes emoji: Lake Maggiore boat accident: Questions remain over spy deaths (BBC)

Oath Keeper who breached Capitol as part of 'stack' formation is sentenced to 3 years in prison (NBC News)

Twitter Faces Potential Ban In Europe After Elon Musk’s Company Pulled Back From Disinformation Rules (Deadline)

The Bad Thing Henry Kissinger Did That You Don’t Even Know About (TNR)

Fort Bragg drops Confederate name to become Fort Liberty (WaPo)

Amazon must pay over $30 million over claims it invaded privacy with Ring and Alexa (NPR)

Churchill Downs to Cease Racing as It Investigates Deaths of Horses (NYT)

Ugh: Granite Staters should expect higher-than-normal temperatures this summer (NHPR)

I've been following him since he came out a few months ago and I'm so glad he seems to be doing well: White Sox minor leaguer Anderson Comás on coming out as gay: ‘Just felt like now is the right time’ (The Athletic)

And some longer reads:

Trump Lawyer’s Notes Could Be a Key in the Classified Documents Inquiry (NYT)

‘You don’t have another option’: Inside the Biden, McCarthy debt ceiling deal (WaPo)

Pakistan’s Powerful Military Faces New Resistance From Courts (NYT)

The A’s are the Rays, and Vice-Versa (Baseball Prospectus)

I am reading this book now and this piece is so fascinating! The Lesser-Known Novel of the 1950s That Presaged Queer Liberation (LitHub)

Morning Coffee Link Roundup (6/2/23) - Friday Happy Links!

Whew, we've made it to Friday! Let's take a break from the news for some happy links!

PSA: Free Doughnuts This Friday (The Takeout)

Nashua recognized for historic role in racially integrating baseball in the 1940s (NHPR)

Yay Amy! Exclusive: At Her Service by Amy Spalding Cover Reveal (frolic)

JUSTIFIED: CITY PRIMEVAL: Raylan Encounters a Chilling New Foe in New Trailer (GMMR)

Ahaha: 40 years ago, NPR had to apologize for airing 'Return of the Jedi' spoilers (NPR)

Eee: ‘Endeavour’: Shaun Evans & Roger Allam on ‘Terribly Emotional’ but ‘Very Right’ Series Finale (TV Insider)

Trader Joe’s Is a Frozen-Foods Fantasyland (Eater)

Fave Five: MG Fantasy with Nonbinary MCs (LGBTQ Reads)

‘Mad and offensive’ texts shed light on the role played by minstrels in medieval society (The Guardian)

Books and Murder: The Perfect Match (CrimeReads)

And some longer Friday reads:

How Queer-Owned Bookstores Are Celebrating Pride Month (Book Riot)

My friend KD is in this and I'm very proud!! Summer Books 2023 (NYT)

This is always fun: The 2023 Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling Race (The Atlantic)

The Most Anticipated Crime Fiction of Summer 2023 (CrimeReads)

Maybe you need to spend your Friday morning just watching a bunch of homers. I get it. Every team's hardest-hit home run (MLB)