Book Pros(e)

New York Times best-selling author and renaissance man James McBride joined Todd to talk about his new book, "The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store". The book, based in Pottstown, PA, is on sale now in-store and online at aaronsbooks.com Support Book Pros(e) by rating and subscribing to our podcast wherever you listen! Follow us! Instagram: @aaronsbooks TikTok: @bookprose, @aaronsbookslit Theme Music by Wolves Incidental Music by ColorFilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Author Elizabeth L. Silver was kind enough to chat with me about her new book, The Majority (on shelves now!), and I can't wait for you to hear about this story. A fictional story of America's first female Supreme Court Justice (think RBG or Sandra Day O'Connor) that encapsulates the importance of intersectionality in the highest court of our land. (Spoiler alert: Sam met RBG when she and Todd lived in D.C. years ago, and she loves to remind me) :) Support Book Pros(e) by rating and subscribing to our podcast wherever you listen! Follow us! Instagram: @aaronsbooks TikTok: @bookprose Theme Music by Wolves Incidental Music by ColorFilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

After celebrating July 4th, this episode will offer another viewpoint on the "Westward Expansion" that helped mold this country into what it is today - the good and the bad. Listen as Kristin talks with New York Times Best-Selling author Kathleen Grissom about her newest book, Crow Mary. Signed copies are available for purchase in our shop! You can find more information about Kathleen Grissom on her website: https://kathleengrissom.com/ Support Book Pros(e) by rating and subscribing to our podcast on whichever platform you listen to! Follow us! Instagram: @aaronsbooks TikTok: @aaronsbooks Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Hey there podcast pals, on today's episode we have a conversation with NYT best-selling author Ashley Poston! Her newest book, The Seven-Year Slip came out yesterday, June 27th! Ashley also gives us some of her favorite upcoming titles for your beach TBR pile! Topics also discussed in this episode: Sliding Doors! Liminal spaces! Parallel lives! Are the kids okay?!? Post-pandemic therapy reading! Let's make The Seven Year Slip the next BookTok hit!! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Hey podcast peeps! On today's episode, we have NYT bestselling author Steven Rowley! His newest book, The Celebrants is a great summer read - full of humor and heart that will make you want to call all your friends and family and tell them how much they mean to you. You can purchase your copy in our shop or online at www.aaronsbooks.com. This episode contains a discussion of trauma, death, and suicide. Listen at your own discretion. Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Heyo Podcast Pals! This week's episode features your friendly, neighborhood book sellers and what's on our TBR for this summer. Have a listen and let us know what's on YOUR summer reading list! Topics also discussed on this episode: New Horror book club fun starts in July!!  Lindsey can't keep her list under 3!!!!  The UK covers are usually better!! Welcome to the A&A power hour!! Alexis doesn't want to be implicated in a crime!  Kristin hears ghosts in the store?! Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Have you read the popular #booktok title It Ends With Us? On today's episode we talk about what we loved and didn't love about this viral sensation. Spoiler alert: we didn't love it. Topics also discussed in this episode: Kristin is mad about pop culture and society! Trend culture! (ugh!) Tiktok! Booktok! Ellen Degeneres! This whole book is a RED FLAG!! We're solving all of the world's ethical problems!  Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Buzzy Jackson is the award-winning author of three books of nonfiction and has a Ph.D. in History from UC Berkeley. A recent fellow at the Edith Wharton Writing Residency, she is also a member of the National Book Critics' Circle and writes for the Boston Globe and BookForum. Her newest book To Die Beautiful came out May 2nd and she joins Kristin today to talk about this breathtaking WW2 historical fiction. Find out more about Buzzy and her research into Hannie's story here: https://www.buzzyjackson.com/ Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Welcome back Book Nerds! On today's episode, Kristin talks with author, screenwriter, and performer Laura Hankin whose previous books include A Special Place for Women and Book of the Month and Library Reads selection Happy & You Know It. Her newest title - The Daydreams - came out May 2nd. Topics also discussed in this episode: Kristin gets nervous and talks too fast! We love us some O.G./O.C. Seth Cohen! The 2000s were weird for SO MANY reasons!! Was Jessica Fletcher really a serial killer??? Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Welcome back book nerds! On today's episode we have one of our book swap pairings. This time it's Bailey and Kristin talking about Kristin's pick Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. Join us as we talk Shakespeare, grief, selfish 16th-century men, and how we want to go out in a Viking funeral pyre.  Topics also discussed in this episode: Shakespeare was kinda a dead-beat dad! Bailey is mad that ol' Willy Shakes was successful! Women didn't have it great in the 16th century! Shakespearean generational trauma!! Bailey hates and respects this book! If Bailey saw Shakespeare today, she'd punch him for Judith! What do we do with art that we love by horrible people?!? Kristin offends Taylor Swift's army of fans! Guys, the Bubonic Plague was scary! Vats of acid, The Joker, Mordor, and dragons! Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Welcome back book friends! We have a short but sweet episode with one of our youngest readers. Ailish (5 years old) talks about a few of her recent favorite books. If you love listening to a five-year-old talk about stuff she likes in no particular order with very little background information, this episode is for you! Also discussed in this episode: Bluey is awesome! Everything unicorn! Pink glittertastic everything! Conversations with 5 year-olds are difficult! Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Welcome back book nerds! On today's episode we have another of our book swap pairings, and this time it's Emily and Lindsey talking about Emily's pick The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. If you like psychological thrillers but haven't read this best-selling title yet (or even if you have), get ready. Lindsey and Emily try VERY hard to have a spoiler-free conversation with a very spoiler-y book. Also discussed in this episode: Anyone heard of Art Therapy, guys?!? Psychopaths are V. intelligent! Who here loves Mindhunter on Netflix?! True Crime All the Time BABYYYYY! Who can you trust with unreliable narrators?! BELIEVE WOMEN! Emily also recommends Malice House by Megan Shepherd!  Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/book-prose/message

Welcome back friends! On this episode of Book Swap fun Sam and Louise talk about Sam's two picks, YA title We Were Liars by E. Lockhart and the NF title Dear White Peacemakers: Dismantling Racism with Grit and Grace by Osheta Moore. Additional titles for reading: The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness- Rhonda V. Magee The Abolitionist's Handbook: 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World by Patrisse Cullors Rising Out of Hatred: The Awakening of a Former White Nationalist by Eli Saslow The Other Talk: Reckoning With White Privilege by Brendan Kiely The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander Between the World and Me: by Ta-Nehisi Coates White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Race by Robin D'Angelo Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man by Emmanuel Acho Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Let the book-swapping fun begin! Alex and Alexis talk about the two books Alex picked, The Honeys by Ryan La Sala (YA) and All Systems Red by Martha Wells (SF), and Lindsey and Kristin talk about Lindsey's picks The Ghosts of Rose Hill by R.M. Romero (YA) and Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix (SF/H). Also discussed in this episode: - Reading YA at all ages! - Listening to books! - Murderous robots! - Books in verse! - Podcast pickles! - Kristin and Lindsey can never go to IKEA again! - Murderous puppets! Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

It's the first day of Women's History Month and this episode is exactly the right way to start it off. On today's episode, Bailey and Emily are back for the second half of their romance discussion. Last week, they read and discussed Jude Deveraux's 1989 novel, A Knight in Shining Armor. This week it's Scarlett St. Clair's recent title King of Battle and Blood and let's just say this one is WAAAYYYY less problematic. It's big on #tiktok right now and it also has a rating of THREE spicy peppers (which Bailey assures me means it's good!). Oh, yeah, and this episode is NSFW, obvs. Headphones if little ears are around! Also discussed in this episode: Weird character name pronunciations! Equality in romance novels! Flying sex in ACOTAR! Young Adult vs New Adult books Emily can't pronounce Isolde! More differences between 1980s and 2020s romances! Bailey creates the “Good Guy/Sauciness” scale! Emotional maturity is important!! Respect the NO. Be Kind - not nice! Flipping gender norms in romances! Guys, THE BAR IS SO LOW. Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Gird your loins, podcast listeners: Bailey and Emily are back with another installment of Sweet and Spicy Reads!!! This time, they're discussing the 1989 time-traveling romance Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. This verrrrryyyyy dated title, recommended by resident-and-long-time-romance-reader Sam has Emily and Bailey's heads spinning with the 80's-style misogyny smattered throughout the plot and character development (or lack thereof). Strap in (or on, whatever your fancy) because this one's tagged EXPLICIT for a reason. Not for little ears, my friends. Other topics discussed: - Relationship red flags - Family system theory - Dating and settling and not expecting better treatment from our partners - Is sex actually a time portal? TBD - Sex positivity - Why the "enemies to lovers" trope is fire - What we would say to our teenage selves Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

We loved doing it, you guys loved hearing about it, so it's back! This time, we turned the swap rules on their heads and picked specific books for a random person on staff. Dice were rolled in more than one way. Guys, it's utter chaos and everyone is already behind on their reading assignments. Or most of us are anyway. Join Kristin and Sam as we introduce this swap's pairings and which books we've gifted each other - for better or worse. We also talk about: - Shop events are back!!!!!! - Fire and Ice insanity!! - Alex has a new job! - Tarot, Tarot, Tarot! - Bailey and Emily's foray into 1980's romance novels! Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Want to know what we're excited to read this year? We have great yet-to-be-released titles from every genre - from history to mystery, from high fantasy to non-fiction - there are so many good titles coming out in 2023, and we're going to give a sneak peek into some of the ones we're most excited about! But if you're holding your breath for the Winds of Winter release, don't. That book is probably never being published. Just accept it. Kristin and Emily are bummed about it too. Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

WE'RE BAAAACK! Did you miss us? For our season 2 premiere, we're sharing our reading goals for this year! Yes, we obviously all love to read, but you'd be surprised how often even the most voracious reader hits a slump or can't get into the next title on their TBR. For our season two opener, we discuss our struggles and goals when we're choosing what to read next and share what we hope to read this year. Also, if you don't already use StoryGraph to track your reading, you will after listening to this episode. You'll thank us later. Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

For the final episode of season 1, we recorded a live Q&A with an audience and well... it kind of worked. Half live and half not, this last episode was a fun one to record. Thanks to our audience members who came out to laugh and talk about books. On this episode, we talked about the year in review, some shop trivia, and our plans for 2023. Thanks so much for listening! Have a wonderful holiday and New Year! See you in 2023! Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @aaronsbooks Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Believe it or not, the holidays are right around the corner and today's episode is full of gift recommendations that should help you whittle down your shopping list. Get ready for titles from every genre that are sure to delight the bookworms you know and love. From romance to sci-fi to some great non-fiction titles, the staff at Aaron's Books have what you need for this holiday season. Follow us on TikTok and on Instagram @aaronsbooks Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Today, we're answering one of the most common listener questions we've gotten: How do we decide what we stock on our shelves? Well, wonder no more. On this episode Sam, Todd, and Alexis talk about how they make those decisions. Whether it's the new big bestseller, a book you've never heard of, or the nerdy and bookish gifty things we have in the shop, the gang is here to tell you all about how we choose the amazing items you see on our shelves when you come in the shop. Don't forget to like, subscribe and rate us wherever you listen! Follow us on Instagram @aaronsbooks Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

It's spooky season so of course Lindsey and Kristin had to share some of the best horror (and horror-ish) titles they've read in the past few years. Lindsey is an avid scary-story fan and she has some great titles to share. Kristin has some recommendations for the more cowardly/squeamish among us, so no matter what, you're bound to like something interesting to read. Listen, enjoy, and don't forget to subscribe and rate us wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @aaronsbooks Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Join Alex and Kristin as we talk about our favorite (more recent) titles in the sub-genre of feminist dystopian fiction! Alex raves about a few sci-fi titles, and Kristin shares some of her faves in contemporary literature. We also talk a little classics like The Handmaid's Tale and The Parable of the Sower because how can we not when this is the genre we're talking about? Get ready for some great titles to add to your TBR, and listen as we express our love for feminist revenge fantasies. On an unrelated note, we also nerd out about House of the Dragon (no spoilers for the newest episode here) and other fantasy worlds we love and love to watch. Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Well, after a few weeks of sickness, Kristin's voice is back (kind of). In this episode Kristin keeps you up to date on shop events, important holiday shopping reminders, and a look at two titles she's reading. Make sure you check out our website (or our email newsletter if you subscribe to is - and if you don't WHY NOT?!? It's a great way to stay up to date on what's new and happening at Aaron's Books!) for more info on all the events mentioned in this episode. Stay tuned for the coming weeks where we talk about some feminist dystopian fiction and some spooky, scary, gory Halloween titles. Also, don't forget to check out Libro.fm for all your audiobook needs! Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

On this episode, Kristin hogs the mic and takes you through five of her most favorite recent contemporary lit titles. Listen as Kristin raves about titles like Booth by Karen Joy Fowler, The Truth about Ben and June by Alex Kiester, Corinne by Rebecca Morrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin, and the upcoming title All our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng which comes out on October 4th. You can find any of these titles in the shop or order online at www.aaronsbooks.com. Pre-order your signed copy of Celeste Ng's All our Missing Hearts by ordering online, calling, or stopping in the shop. Signed copies while supplies last. Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Well, we did it, guys. We made it to the final book swap episode. Join Todd, Alex, Alexis, and Lindsey as they run the genre gauntlet with titles like The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons, Initiated: Memoir of a Witch by Amanda Yates Garcia, Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver, and Legend by David Gemmel. We're all very proud of ourselves for stretching our reading styles these past two months, but we're also gonna get back to our faves in our TBR pile(s). Follow us on Instagram @aaronsbooks www.aaronsbooks.com Theme music by Wolves Incidental music by Colorfilm --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Buckle up, buttercup, because this episode is WILD. Emily and Bailey got each other for our genre swap challenge and they each picked a popular #booktok title for the other to read. Bailey chose Lucy Foley's The Guest List for Emily, and Emily picked Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon for Bailey to enjoy. Join in the fun as they discuss the pleasure of a good mystery, giant blue aliens who may or may not be sexy, and Bailey's future in narrating books. Sign up for our shop newsletter at aaronsbooks.com and follow us on Instagram @aaronsbooks to get all our updates on great titles for your TBR pile(s) Theme music by Wolves --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

The question has been asked for millennia: Who is the Aaron of Aaron's Books? Never before have we been this close to an answer. In today's episode, Kristin is joined by Aaron, who purports to be THE Aaron. Is he the real Aaron? Can we ever really know? Just kidding. Sam and Todd's son sat down with Kristin before leaving for his second year at Bard College to talk about what it was like growing up inside a bookstore. Listen as Aaron shares fond memories of growing up as THE Aaron of Aaron's Books. Also, Kristin finally learns what the words inscribed over the Lititz Spring mean. SPOILER: It's not what she thinks it is. Theme music by Wolves --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Part two of our staff book swap challenge continues with two really good titles. In this episode, we round out our first grouping of book swap reviews with Sam and Louise discussing One for All by Lillie Lainoff and Louise and Kristin talking about The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey. If you're into historical fiction, young adult fiction, and/or science-fiction as a genre and want some great ideas for titles to read, this episode has what you're looking for. Sign up for our shop newsletter at aaronsbooks.com and follow us on Instagram @aaronsbooks to get all our updates on great titles for your TBR pile(s). Theme music by Wolves --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Back in episode 003, we (the staff at Aaron's Books), exchanged names and picked a book outside the genre comfort zone for the person we got. Well, today's the day we start sitting down with our partners and letting them know what we thought of the book they picked for us. To get us started, Sam and Bud talk about Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots and Bud and Kristin talk about Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. Listen for some great titles to add to your TBR pile. Don't forget to like subscribe and rate us wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @aaronsbooks Theme music by Wolves --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Kristin and Sam sit down together to talk about all things cozy mystery. If you're a fan of the genre, listen to get some ideas for new series to read. If you're new to what cozy mystery even is (like Kristin), get ready to learn a few things. Special note: remember to check out our cozy mystery subscription box for yourself or as a gift. You can find more information on our monthly subscription boxes here: https://www.aaronsbooks.com/MonthlyBookBox Theme music by Wolves --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

In part two of our conversation with award-winning author A.S. King, we talk about the recent efforts to ban books locally and nationwide and why we believe books and stories make people more understanding and compassionate. If you want further information on books challenges and bans and how you can support the fight to keep books accessible to all, visit the American Library Association's page at https://www.ala.org/advocacy/bbooks Theme music by Wolves --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

A.S. King is an award-winning author of young-adult and middle-grade books and an ardent supporter of independent bookstores. As a long-time friend of Sam and Todd's, Amy graciously agreed to hang out and talk about all things literature - and we recorded it! In part one of our conversation with author A.S. King, we talk about her writing process, why she loves writing for teens and kids, and how books and reading help us heal our trauma. Next week's episode will feature part two of our conversation where we talk about the recent nationwide push to ban books in schools and libraries and why we firmly believe in the power of words and stories to heal trauma and create compassionate people. Theme music by Wolves --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Just like in the Christmas episode of The Office where they do Secret Santa and gift each other things they don't need, the staff at Aaron's Books are forcing each other to read books they may not like. We each picked a co-worker's name out of a basket and assigned a book for them to read that they wouldn't otherwise choose for themself. Some of us are enjoying this literary experiment, but not all of us. In this episode we each tell you whose name we picked from the basket, what book we picked for them, and why we chose that particular title. Get ready to add more books to your to-be-read pile, because we've got some good ones for you. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Meet your friendly neighborhood booksellers! Have you ever wondered, "What do those magical bookstore creatures do when they're not meeting my every literary need?" WELL WONDER NO MORE. In this episode, you'll meet Alexis, Lindsey, Louise, Bud, Alex, Kristin, and Bailey and discover our deepest, darkest secrets. Just kidding. We just talk about how much we love books.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Sam and Todd Droke-Dickinson are the owners of Aaron's books, and in this first episode of Book Pros(e) we sit down and talk about the shop's history and how and why Todd and Sam chose Lititz as the best place for our little bookshop to thrive. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message

Book Pros(e) - From the people who sell you actual books from a real-life independent bookstore in Lititz, PA comes a podcast all about books and the love of reading. Strap on the glasses and charge up those book lights, because we're just getting started. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/book-prose/message