Fiction Between Friends

*Trigger warning: The beginning of this episode starts off with a politically charged conversation about the Supreme Court and the recent overturning of Roe v Wade. But we eventually do talk about books. ** Also, this is our last episode  before our summer break, but we will be back in the fall rested and refreshed, with more amazing books to share with you all. Aileen read Olga Dies Dreaming by Sochi Gomez, a story that explores two different interpretations of the American Dream inside one Puerto Rican family living in New York City.  Lauren read (and absolutely adored) Women of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine, which follows a Mexican American family that has been displaced and resettled, and how they try to integrate and re-establish their lives.  Alisa read Martita, I Remember You by Sandra Cisneros, a heart-rending story about missing friends told by a Mexican woman living in Chicago.And Josie just couldn't put down Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, a page turning supernatural romance of the highest order, this book delved into Mayan mythology.

Alisa's daughter Ella, and Lauren's daughter Ana gave us a list of YA titles we hadn't read yet. Aileen read We Were Liars by E. Lockheart, a thriller with a blow-your-mind twist at the end. Though classified as YA, we all felt like this book was just as suitable for adults also. Lauren read The...

Alisa's daughter Ella, and Lauren's daughter Ana gave us a list of YA titles we hadn't read yet.  Aileen read We Were Liars by E. Lockheart, a thriller with a blow-your-mind twist at the end. Though classified as YA, we all felt like this book was just as suitable for adults also.Lauren read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak after years of her daughter Ana telling her to. Ana has a special connection to this book and briefly joins us to talk about how books she read and loved when she was in middle school have a particular place in her heart. Alisa read Conversations With Friends by Sally Rooney, a well-told story about two couples who swing, which had the same characteristic “Rooney” style that Alisa loved so much in Normal People. And Josie read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, and she can't believe it took her so long to read this excellent book. Important, timely, and just a fine story in and of itself, Josie believes that it should be required reading in high schools.

This week we read books that hovered somewhere in the beach read category, yet much more challenging and satisfying than the run-of-the-mill sand and surf fluff. Aileen read The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, a story of summer, secrets, love, and lies. Lauren read Mr. Wrong Number, a hilarious rom-com by Lynn Painter. Alisa...

This week we read books that hovered somewhere in the beach read category, yet much more challenging and satisfying than the run-of-the-mill sand and surf fluff. Aileen read The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller, a story of summer, secrets, love, and lies.Lauren read Mr. Wrong Number, a hilarious rom-com by Lynn Painter.Alisa read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, about an aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon who is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life.And Josie read Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, a heartbreaking coming-of-age story with a surprising tale of possible murder.

This week on Fiction Between Friends we have a special guest, New York Times bestselling author, Beth Revis! We talk about her new book The Princess and the Scoundrel, coming out August 16, 2022, and her serial novel Museum of Magic that is out right now on Kindle Vella. Beth tells us all about the...

This week on Fiction Between Friends we have a special guest, New York Times bestselling author, Beth Revis! We talk about her new book The Princess and the Scoundrel, coming out August 16, 2022, and her serial novel Museum of Magic that is out right now on Kindle Vella. Beth tells us all about the lovely people at Star Wars, and about how she worked pulling tarot cards and throwing dice to decide plot points in Museum of Magic. We also discuss the state of YA, publishing in general, and we even touch on the banned book controversy sweeping the nation. Alisa was sorely missed, but we promise she will be back next week. Thanks, Beth, for coming on the show!

This week the gang reads historical fiction. Alisa and Aileen are old pros at this sub-genre while Josie and Lauren are more like dabblers. Ironically, almost all of the picks were in the WW2 category while Josie was the odd duck who traveled back to medieval Europe. Aileen read Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. She's been...

This week the gang reads historical fiction. Alisa and Aileen are old pros at this sub-genre while Josie and Lauren are more like dabblers. Ironically, almost all of the picks were in the WW2 category while Josie was the odd duck who traveled back to medieval Europe.Aileen read Moloka'i by Alan Brennert. She's been trying for years to read this book but every time she picked it up, she'd put it back down after asking herself, “do I really want to read about a leper colony?” Well, she finally read it and she's so glad she did. It was uplifting and inspiring and not at all the bummer she imagined it be at the outset. Thanks to her friend Pam for suggesting it!It took Lauren a moment to spit out the title, but The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Schaffer was a huge hit for her. This book took her a beat to get into but once she did, she never wanted it to end. Set during the German occupation of Guernsey during WW2, this epistolary-style book was a great yarn. As always, Lauren doesn't suggest books unless she loves the characters, and this book she highly recommends.Alisa found a real gem in The Only Woman in the Room by Heather Terrel. Set mostly during WW2 as well, this story is about Hettie Lamar's life, loves and her inventions. The gang was just floored to learn about this multi-faceted, self-taught woman whose mind was even more stunning than her famous face. There were some real mind blowers in this one, and the gang was just spellbound by Alisa's description.Josie went to the way-way back with Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose. It was murderous monks galore in this runaway bestselling book that was not only inspired by a medieval manuscript, it's also about one, hidden deep within a library that also a labyrinth. There are so many twists and turns, both metaphorically and in the plot, it will have your head spinning. But don't let the Latin freak you out. This is a real page turner as well as being a meditation on one of the biggest theological debates in Catholicism. Josie loved it. 

Ever wonder how your favorite book becomes a movie or a TV show? Well, wonder no longer because we have brought in a bona-fide filmmaker to explain it. Lauren couldn't be with us, but we had our first guest speaker, Barbara Stepansky on in her place. Barbara is an award-winning screenwriter and a director who...

Ever wonder how your favorite book becomes a movie or a TV show? Well, wonder no longer because we have brought in a bona-fide filmmaker to explain it.Lauren couldn't be with us, but we had our first guest speaker, Barbara Stepansky on in her place. Barbara is an award-winning screenwriter and a director who writes for the show Outlander. She had us read Kate Morton's The Forgotten Garden as a hypothetical book-to-miniseries project and we had a blast “breaking” the story (that's Hollywood lingo for a bunch of writers sitting around talking about how to turn a book into a show).We think we got at least nine episodes out of Morton's wonderful, century-spanning, ocean-crossing saga. We also discuss how Barbara is attached to adapt Josie's thriller What She Found in the Woods and how it feels for a writer to see their stories put to screen.Though we missed Lauren terribly, the gang had such a great time speaking with Barbara that we are thinking of doing this guest speaker thing again real soon.

This week on Fiction Between Friends, anything goes! It was the “What's on Your Nightstand?” show. Aileen read Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. A modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice is always welcome on our podcast if that re-telling is a good one, and Eligible did not disappoint. Aileen walked the gang through the characters and...

This week on Fiction Between Friends, anything goes! It was the “What's on Your Nightstand?” episode. Aileen read Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld. A modern re-telling of Pride and Prejudice. Lauren swung for the fences and read a book in Spanish that she's been trying to read forever. En los Zapatos de Valeria by Elisabet Benavent, about 4 women who are best friends (sounds familiar) who are all on different paths in their lives and in their loves.  Alisa read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, and Josie read Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik. And she promises to stop stalking Ms. Novik… eventually. 

We talked about it, and we've decided that the pandemic is over. For now, at least. And we wanted to celebrate that by talking about what helped get us through it. Each other, of course, but also what we read. Basically, Aileen thought up the topic of this episode as an excuse to re-read Daisy...

We talked about it, and we've decided that the pandemic is over. For now at least. And we wanted to celebrate by talking about what helped get us through it. Each other, of course, but also what we read.Aileen talked about how much she loved reading Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid.  Lauren reminisced about Ross Poldark, the first book in the Poldark series by Winston Graham. And Alisa and Josie went non-fiction with I'm Judging You: The Do Better Manual by Luvvie Ajayi, and The Emperor of Scent by Chandler Burr. 

This week we all read books that were set in our neck of the woods. New England! Aileen starts us off with On Beauty by Zadie Smith. Set at a Harvard-esque university, On Beauty covers a wide swath of topics, like elitism, Eastern Liberalism, and identity struggles within a bi-racial family. Lauren read The Physick...

This week we all read books that were set in our neck of the woods. New England!Aileen starts us off with On Beauty by Zadie Smith.  Lauren covers The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe.  Josie read The Secret History by Donna Tartt.  But Alisa probably “won” this week with her read, We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry.  Trigger warnings: heavy drug and alcohol abuse, suicide.

We felt like we needed to lighten up a bit, so this week we read books that made us laugh. Lauren read an old favorite, One for the Money by Janet Evanovich. With two hot guys to choose from, plenty of action, and a funny grandma, what's not to love about this? The good character...

We felt like we needed to lighten up a bit, so this week we read books that made us laugh. Lauren read an old favorite, One for the Money by Janet Evanovich.  Alisa read Faking It by Jennifer Cruise. Aileen read The Humans by Matt Hague. And Josie read one of her favorites, Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett. 

Aileen had always wanted an excuse to read Nora Ephron, so she read Heartburn by Nora Ephron. Lauren got her sweet tooth fix with an old copy of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.  Alisa read A River Runs Through It by Norman McClain, and Josie dug up her copy of Jane Eyre by...

Aileen had always wanted an excuse to read Nora Ephron, so she read Heartburn by Nora Ephron. Lauren got her sweet tooth fix with an old copy of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.  Alisa read A River Runs Through It by Norman McClain, and Josie dug up her copy of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

We're a bit early for Valentine's Day, but each of us picked a love story to discuss this week. Lauren went first and talked about The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon because she just couldn't hold her tea! Fun, vivacious dialogue and tons of red hot lovin' was just what Lauren needed. She appreciated...

Happy (early) Valentine's Day! Lauren read The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon. Fun, vivacious dialogue and tons of red hot lovin'. Aileen had a much more PG rated read with The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, about a quirky, schedule-obsessed hero, and the innocent, light-hearted love that he develops for the girl who breaks all the rules.Alisa had the heaviest read this week with Normal People by Sally Rooney, about two people learning to love both themselves and each other in spite of the many obstacles that keep them apart.Josie found her inner wild with Maria Vale's The Last Wolf, the first book in the Legend of All Wolves series. Josie went hog-wild for this series with its phenomenal characters, enchanting world-building, and compelling story line. 

Aileen is a huge Stephen King fan and has been for as long as we can remember. This week she picked a book of his for each of us to read.  Aileen read one of King's more recent books, Billie Summers. A crime thriller that's something of a departure from what we all think of as...

Aileen is a huge Stephen King fan and has been for as long as we can remember. This week she picked a book of his for each of us to read. Aileen read one of King's more recent books, Billie Summers. A crime thriller that's something of a departure from what we all think of as a typical Stephen King novel. Alisa should have read 11.22.63 like Aileen asked her to, but instead she read The Institute. Lauren also deviated from Aileen's assignment and read Elevation instead, an engaging thought-experiment that stayed with Lauren long after she put it down. Aileen suggested Josie read On Writing, King's book about the craft of writing. (Was that a hint?) Not a how-to book, On Writing is more like an autobiographical account of King's personal writing journey. Full of inspiration and honesty, On Writing is a generous gift to newbies from a master storyteller.

Right now in our country there are towns, cities, and states making lists of books that certain people want banned from schools and libraries, and we are absolutely horrified by this. So, each one of us pick an AMAZING book that is on one of these nefarious lists and read the heck out of ‘em....

Right now in our country there are towns, cities, and states making lists of books that certain people want banned from schools and libraries, and we are absolutely horrified by this. So, each one of us pick an AMAZING book that is on one of these nefarious lists and read the heck out of ‘em. Aileen read The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, and had her mind blown.  Alisa found Black Girl Unlimited: The Remarkable Story of a Teenage Wizard by Echo Brown on a challenged list in Kansas and gets as riled up as anyone of us has ever heard her. Lauren read Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George.And Josie read the Pulitzer Prize winning Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and had a hard time figuring out why this touching story about an intersexed individual was being challenged. 

Our final episode of the season!  We'll be off for three weeks and then be back January 10 for Season 2. Things get quite steamy in this episode, as Aileen warms us up with Jennifer Weiner's, Big Summer. Then Lauren goes full romance with Robyn Carr's, Virgin River, and Alisa  gives a  saucy reading of...

Our final episode of the season!  We'll be off for three weeks and then be back January 10 for Season 2.Things get quite steamy in this episode, as Aileen warms us up with Jennifer Weiner's, Big Summer. Then Lauren goes full romance with Robyn Carr's, Virgin River, and Alisa  gives a  saucy reading of one of the love scenes.  Alisa then brings back a group favorite with Helen Fielding's, Bridget Jones's Diary.  And Josie empties a box of tissues reading Jojo Moyes's, Me Before You.

We tried something a little different for this episode and chose to partner up and cover two books instead of four. Aileen and Lauren read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, the smart, warm, and uplifting story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as...

We tried something a little different for this episode and chose to partner up and cover two books instead of four. Aileen and Lauren read Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, the smart, warm, and uplifting story of an out-of-the-ordinary heroine whose deadpan weirdness and unconscious wit make for an irresistible journey as she realizes that the only way to survive is to open your heart. The book is soon to be a major motion picture produced by Reese Witherspoon.And Josie and Alisa read Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles, a tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart. A dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer's enduring masterwork, The Iliad. 

The Lauren Drought continues, but in her absence we discuss books that she picked out for us, and it's unanimous. Every book was a perfect fit. We conclude that Lauren must be a book whisperer. As per Lauren's suggestion, Aileen read and thoroughly enjoyed Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal a lively, sexy, and...

We read books recommended by Lauren, our in-house librarian, who is still out of commission, and it's unanimous. She's a book whisperer.Aileen read and thoroughly enjoyed Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal a lively, sexy, and thought-provoking East-meets-West story about community, friendship, and women's lives at all ages.Alisa read Deborah Harkness's A Discovery of Witches and her lifelong mission now is go out to dinner with Deborah.And Josie became a Naomi Novik fangirl for life after reading A Deadly Education.

Unfortunately, Lauren couldn't make it, but the remaining gang soldiers on without her and discusses captivity and survival stories. Aileen re-read Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews and found that her opinion of this once beloved book had changed drastically since her teen years. Many of the things she adored about this “forbidden...

Unfortunately, Lauren couldn't make it, but the remaining gang soldiers on without her and discusses captivity and survival stories. Aileen re-read Flowers in the Attic by V. C. Andrews and found that her opinion of this once beloved book had changed drastically since her teen years. Many of the things she adored about this “forbidden read” shocked her now, and the gang discussed how the Me Too movement has changed the way many books are viewed.Alisa went full boy vs. nature with Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. This beautifully written book was a much-needed reminder of hope and self-reliance for Alisa after her encounter with Lord of the Flies last week, and she would highly recommend this book to parents to read with their middle-grade children.Josie has her own story of survival to gush about with Dragonsinger by one of her greatest writing heroes, Anne McCaffrey. Part of the first fantasy series that Josie ever read—The Dragonriders of Pern—this feminist portrayal of a young girl who survives in a dangerous world on her own is still a cherished source of inspiration to Josie. Oh, and there are dragons in it. ‘Nuff said.

We chose to go dark on this one, all except for Lauren who went with some lighter fare because sometimes you read what the book gods send your way and you don't ask any questions. Aileen tips off the book talk with her pick, The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Alisa cuts the line with...

We chose to go dark on this one, all except for Lauren who went with some lighter fare because sometimes you read what the book gods send your way and you don't ask any questions. Aileen tips off the book talk with her pick, The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier. Alisa cuts the line with Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Lauren brightens the mood with A Season for Second Chances by Jenni Bayliss, and Josie wraps things up with the dark and heavy, Dune, by Frank Herbert.Lauren also gives some insight into the way libraries acquire books and muses about who decides what books are worthy for awards, and exactly how does one become invited to a dinner with the original influencers, the ALA.  

What is it about certain books that brings up back, again and again? Why re-read at all, considering there are so many great books waiting on our TBR lists? This week we break down our favorite re-reads. Aileen dusts off her old copy of Are You There God It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume, and...

What is it about certain books that brings us back, again and again? Why re-read at all, considering there are so many great books waiting on our TBR lists?  Well, this week we break down our favorite re-reads.Aileen dusts off her old copy of Are You There God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume.Lauren shares A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Alisa comes prepared with her stack of Twilight novels by Stephanie Meyer. And Josie lets her freak flag fly with A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.  

Since this is a podcast celebrating books and friends we thought it was important for our second episode to cover books centered around friendships. We discuss Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie...

Since this is a podcast celebrating books and friends we thought it was important for our second episode to cover books centered around friendships. We discuss Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie...

Since this is a podcast celebrating books and friends we thought it was important for our second episode to cover books centered around friendships.We discuss Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares.We also discuss the terms plotters and pantsers when it comes to writing styles, getting our social mojos back as we all come out of hibernation, and Josie offers some insight into the status of the upcoming books in the Starcrossed series.

Since this is our very first episode we thought it would be appropriate to make the theme for this one, "Books that made us fall in love with reading".We cover Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary, and Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery (published as L. M. Montgomery).We also discuss the recent trend of sensitivity editors in the publishing industry, why Josie loves to write young adult books, and somewhere along the way one of us gets drunk.

Since this is our very first episode we thought it would be appropriate to make the theme for this one, “Books that made us fall in love with reading”. We cover Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary, and Anne of Green Gables...