First Fifty Pages

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Kelsey and Jenn talk with rising star Emilia Hart about her latest novel, Sirens—a story of two sets of sisters separated by time and connected by the power of the sea. We chat about compelling female characters, how the past informs our present, and why meeting readers is such a rewarding experience. Dangerous temptations await!

In this episode, Kelsey and Jenn talk with best-selling author Tim Johnston about his latest novel, Distant Sons—the All Iowa Reads selection for Adult Fiction for 2025. Random acts of misfortune, themes of masculinity and shame, and a small town haunted by great tragedy. It may surprise you or it could devastate you, but at the very least, be prepared to feel all the feels!

In this episode, Jenn and Kelsey talk with bestselling author Nickolas Butler about his latest novel, A Forty-Year Kiss. Listen to hear what in-real-life overheard conversation sparked the inspiration for this life-affirming love story, how he crafts the sublime from the ordinary, and why second chances are so compelling.

In this episode, Jenn and Kelsey talk with blockbuster author Chris Bohjalian about his latest novel, The Jackal's Mistress, a heart-stopping story of two people navigating the boundaries of love and humanity in a landscape of brutal violence. Listen in and discover why Chris Bohjalian is truly one of our greatest storytellers.

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Kelsey and Jenn talk with Lisa Genova about her new novel More or Less Maddy. We discuss how story can be a vehicle to open conversations and find compassion for those who are ignored, feared, and misunderstood, the highs and lows of stand-up comedy, and why we all need to get more sleep. Don't hit snooze on this episode!

In this episode, Jenn and Kelsey chat with best-selling author Liane Moriarty about her new book, Here One Moment. We talk psychic encounters, free will and the unique experience of readers. We predict this is a book you're going to want to read!

In this episode, Jenn and Kelsey are joined by award-winning author Leif Enger to chat about his latest book. Part romance, part nautical adventure, part love letter to stories, this sweetly hopeful piece of dystopian fiction has it all! You'll cheerfully refuse to put this one down!

In this episode of the First Fifty Pages, Jenn and Kelsey chat with author Stuart Turton about his latest book,The Last Murder at the End of the World--an 'almost accidental' science fiction mystery. AI, Agatha Christie, and existential issues...the voice in your head is telling you not to miss this episode.

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Kelsey and Jenn talk with perennial best-selling author Jodi Picoult about her new book, By Any Other Name. We dive into hidden histories, the dangers of book banning, and the things that keep us up at night.

In this episode of the First Fifty Pages, Kelsey and Jenn chat with Ruth Ware about her new mystery, One Perfect Couple. Intriguing characters, reality TV, a tropical paradise, murder and so many moral dilemmas! You'll be hooked!

In this episode of the First Fifty Pages, Katherine Center joins Kelsey and Jenn to talk about how stories are uniquely able to change our lives, the aggressively misunderstood happy ending, and why love stories matter. Let the banter begin!

In this episode of the First Fifty Pages, Jenn and Kelsey talk with beloved storyteller and two-time Newberry medal winning author Kate DiCamillo about connecting with young readers and finding our way back to the magic of reading.

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Jenn and Kelsey are joined by author Erik Larson, a perennial favorite among nonfiction readers. They discuss his latest book The Demon of Unrest, how his curiosity drives his work, and the way history can inform our present.

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Jenn and Kelsey have a thrilling chat with bestselling author and #booktok darling Jeneva Rose about her latest book, Home is Where the Bodies Are, a grilling and chilling take on grief, sibling rivalry, and the (sometimes literal) skeletons in the family closet.

Jenn and Kelsey talk with master storyteller Kristin Hannah about her blockbuster, best-selling book The Women, and the power that stories have to expand history and create space for remembrance, gratitude and shared experiences.

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Kelsey and Jenn discuss the author's latest literary feminist boarding school mystery, I Have Some Questions for You— a book that explores the importance of our memories and the impact of time on our own individual stories. If your present self could reckon with the past, what would you try to resolve?

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Jenn and Kelsey have a lively chat with Australian author Benjamin Stevenson about his latest book, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. We dig into why fair play mysteries are seeing a resurgence in popularity and why Aussie crime writers are so good. Can you solve this one before the detective does?

Kelsey and Jenn talk with best-selling author Ali Hazelwood about her fan fiction roots, favorite romance tropes, background in academia, and the power of STEMinist love stories—where the heroines break barriers just as easily as they break hearts.

Kelsey and Jenn talk with award-winning author Kate Manning about finding threads to the past to uncover women's stories, the courage and resilience of the women in her novels, and her new book Gilded Mountain. Romance, drama, history, and fierce women—we're all in!

Textual Complexity: a conversation with E. Lockhart on heartbreak, reaching young readers, and our postmodern condition.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Stacy Schiff joins Jenn and Kelsey in this episode of The First Fifty Pages to discuss her revelatory new biography about one of our nation's least known but arguably most essential Founding Father, The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams.

Listen for a discussion about how war trauma becomes part of the tapestry of the immigrant experience across generations. And--some fun insight into Korean zombie movies--you won't be disappointed!

Making her thriller debut with The Fields, author Erin Young joins Kelsey and Jenn in this episode of The First Fifty Pages.

Author, actress, and brand-storyteller Gina Sorell joins Kelsey and Jenn in this episode of The First Fifty Pages. Gina talks about her latest novel, The Wise Women, and shares some thoughts on how memory, legacy, and perspective shape the stories we tell.

Emily St. John Mandel--the bestselling author behind the critically acclaimed novels Station Eleven and The Glass Hotel--joins Kelsey and Jenn on this episode of The First Fifty Pages. Emily talks about her love of Science Fiction, the un-romantic process of revision, and about how her latest novel, Sea of Tranquility, moves through time and space. (!) Spoiler -- the future is not a catastrophe...

Alice Hoffman, the spellbinding author behind bestsellers like The Marriage of Opposites and Here on Earth, joins Jenn and Kelsey in this episode of The First Fifty Pages to talk about the magic of books and her much beloved Practical Magic series' final novel, The Book of Magic.

Everyone's favorite science writer Mary Roach joins Jenn and Kelsey in this episode of The First Fifty Pages to talk about her new book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law.

In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, internationally best-selling author Allison Larkin chats with Jenn and Kelsey about her compelling new book, The People We Keep. We explore the connection to authentic characters, dealing with rejection in the publishing business, and the 1990s as historical fiction (yes, you read that right!).

Golden Voice audiobook narrator Julia Whelan joins Kelsey and Jenn in this episode of The First Fifty Pages to talk about her work as a storyteller, how she creates transformative moments for listeners, and how the audiobook industry is evolving. We get to talk about some of our favorite books that Julia has narrated, and we even get a tea recommendation! Music Credits Tri-Tachyon " Little Lily Swing " Kevin MacLeod " Backed Vibes Clean "

Did you love The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue as much as we did? In this episode of The First Fifty Pages , Kelsey and Jenn chat with author Victoria “V.E.” Schwab about her bestselling novel, opening doors for readers, and what it's like to hang out with Neil Gaiman.

Read for Joy! In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Kelsey and Jenn chat with New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center about her essay "READ FOR JOY." Katherine shares what this means to her and why it is important to trust yourself to find the stories that you most need to hear. To read the full READ FOR JOY essay by Katherine Center click here or subscribe to her newsletter Three Good Things .

Are you craving ‘feel-good’ stories? Do you want characters to cheer for? Leave the bleak headlines behind as Kelsey and Jenn shine a light on likeable characters in fiction in this episode of The First Fifty Pages. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg Isabel Dalhousie mysteries by Alexander McCall Smith One Day by David Nicholls Aurora Teagarden mysteries by Charlaine Harris Armada by Ernest Cline This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld Kinsey Millhone mysteries by Sue Grafton King & Maxwell novels by David Baldacci Stephanie Plum mysteries by Janet Evanovich Fox & O'Hare novels by Janet Evanovich Mickey Haller novels by Michael Connelly Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo Supergifted by Gordon Korman Savvy series by Ingrid Law

Reading for enjoyment can be difficult when you're feeling anxious. In this episode, Kelsey and Jenn discuss their go-to 'comfort' reads. They also share ideas for reading when you're feeling anxious and favorite literary escapes for your #stayathome. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play . Books featured in this episode: The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha Everything is F*cked: a book about hope by Mark Manson Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick Everyone Brave is Forgiven by Chris Cleave The Wedding Date, The Proposal, The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory No Judgments by Meg Cabot The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren Books/series with a strong sense of place: Lord of the Rings series, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin ​Hunger Games series by Suzanne

Looking for something good to read? On this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Kelsey and Jenn share some of their favorite nonfiction books, as reviewed by Sioux City Public Library staff in clips from the Check It Out series. Your To-Be-Read list is about to get longer... Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play . Books mentioned in this episode: Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen Born a Crime by Trevor Noah A Truck Full of Money by Tracy Kidder Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert The Food Lab by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt Passing Strange by Martha A. Sandweiss Sisterhood of the Squared Circle by Pat Laprade and Dan Murphy The Black Count by Tom Reiss Packing for Mars by Mary Roach Moneyball by Michael Lewis The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann American Kingpin by Nick Bilton

Do you have a “Reading Resolution” for the New Year? In this episode of The First Fifty Pages, Jenn and Kelsey discuss realistic ways to help you reach your reading goals, and they might even persuade you to join a book club. (Spoiler alert: You’re likely to live longer if you do!) Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play . Books mentioned in this episode: Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid There, There by Tommy Orange Little Faith by Nickolas Butler The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin Educated by Tara Westover Midnight in Chernobyl: the untold story of the world's greatest nuclear disaster by Adam Higginbotham Say Nothing: a true story of murder and memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky

How have we evolved as readers? Whch trends picked up steam? What were the most sought out books in the last ten years? Jenn and Kelsey reflect back on the last decade to address these questions. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

What is the true cost of eBooks and audiobooks for libraries? What is Bridges? How does the Macmillan embargo affect libraries? In this installment of The First Fifty Pages , Jenn & Kelsey invite Becky Heil, District Consultant from the State Library of Iowa, to help address these questions and further discuss Libby. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

In part one of the Libby series, Jenn and Kelsey dive into the app, which lets users borrow eBooks and audiobooks from their local library. Special guest Alex Watters, City Councilmember of Sioux City, helps Jenn and Kelsey discuss why audiobooks are so popular right now, whether listening is the same as reading and Libby hacks. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

How does one find the perfect scary story? Is there a one-size-fits-all when it comes to the horror genre? What is your monster? Special guest Gregg Winsor, Reference Librarian and Reader's Advisory Specialist at the Johnson County Library in Kansas, helps Jenn and Kelsey address these questions. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

On this episode, Jenn & Kelsey discuss the vast collection of DVDs the library offers along with special guest Sara Leiss, Operations Manager at the Sioux City Public Library. Sara helps dissect appeal factors, viewing styles and the book to movie connections. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

Banned Books Week, what is it, and when does it happen? Why is it important for a community to celebrate Banned Books Week? What is the difference between a challenge or banning? Jenn & Kelsey address these questions and more with the help of special guest Zach Freking-Smith, Director of the Cherokee Public Library. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

In honor of September being Library Card Sign-up Month , Jenn & Kelsey reflect on the impact library cards has had throughout their lives. As well as the many benefits a library card can grant a user. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

In the fourth episode of The First Fifty Pages , Jenn & Kelsey discuss vacation and beach reads. What fits the bill for a beach read? And, what sort of books are Jenn & Kelsey taking on their vacations? Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages, our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

In the third episode of The First Fifty Pages, Jenn & Kelsey, along with special guest Jessi Wakefield, discuss the different types of readers, how they developed their relationship to reading, and a few of their personal favorite books. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages , our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

In the second episode of The First Fifty Pages , Jenn & Kelsey talk about blind dates with books. Why should one go on a blind date with a book? What makes librarians great match makers? How does one connect to the right appeal elements of books? Jenn & Kelsey address these questions and more. Want more? Subscribe to The First Fifty Pages , our podcast about books, library culture, and current reading trends, available on iTunes , Stitcher , and Google Play .

What places a book on a best of list? Are those lucky few that rank on The New York Times or Amazon the books that people are actually reading? Does that matter? The Sioux City Public Library's Kelsey and Jenn review the best "Best Of" lists and look at what was actually checked out at the library in 2018.