Killing the Tea

Halley broke the news to me that The Bachelorette was cancelled after the video of Taylor Frankie Paul was sold to TMZ, so we start off right in the mess of pop culture.  Listen for our thoughts on: Cancellation/pause of The Bachelorette starring Taylor Frankie Paul due to domestic violence allegations Ethics of airing real-life trauma and abuse on reality TV Trad wife culture vs. reality of women as breadwinners Religious conditioning and spiritual bypassing Purity culture and its connection to shame and abuse Grift culture (influencers, politics, capitalism) Age of Attraction's age gap dating approach The Manosphere - when men become obsessed with the male gaze Incel/red pill ideology as a bid for connection Some movies, TV shows and books we've loved recently Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Andrea M. Butler about her debut speculative fiction Mother. We dive into a wide range of topics, including: The origin of the novel's idea Dreams and spiritual communication Energy work and spirituality Speculative fiction grounded in reality The “predictive” nature of fiction Capitalism, wealth inequality, and food insecurity Religion and evangelical culture Community as resistance Divine feminine energy Hope through storytelling   Mother by Andrea M. Butler Synopsis Having gained control of the world's food supply, a single corporation, SunRay, holds the fate of humanity in its hands. When the government passed the HOME Act and sent millions of immigrants away, it threw the nation into an unprecedented economic crisis. Set in the near future amidst the backdrop of an increasingly volatile climate, Matt and Evie Fisher are struggling to survive. In order to find a way to save their two daughters, Matt and Evie must wrestle with their faith, their past, and a mysterious illness affecting much of the population. When a series of otherworldly dreams sets Evie on a path to find a mystical portal, and Matt finds himself in possession of information that could topple SunRay and the political network behind it, Evie realizes she is being offered a choice that could not only save her daughters, but could alter the fate of humanity forever.   Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

As promised, MacKenzie Green and I share our Oscars reactions, and thoughts on just about everything:  - Awards season and Oscar campaigning  - Timothée Chalamet discourse  - Misty Copeland's performance  - Sinners on Broadway??  - Criticism of Sean Penn winning Best Supporting Actor  - The historical context of Black Oscar winners, and why Michael B. Jordan's win is so HUGE - Comparisons to past controversial Oscar wins (think Green Book vs Black Panther)  - Distinctions between authentic cultural storytelling (like Sinners) and films by those outside the culture for performative or superficial benefit  Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Erin and I both adored Kin by Tayari Jones, and we decided to do a whole episode discussing it!  The first 15ish minutes are spoiler free, so if you haven't read it yet, you can listen and decide if the vibes sound right for you.  After that, we get into everything we loved about the characters, the prose, the plotting and the themes! Kin by Tayari Jones Synopsis Vernice and Annie, two motherless daughters raised in Honeysuckle, Louisiana, have been best friends and neighbors since earliest childhood, but are fated to live starkly different lives. Raised by a fierce aunt determined to give her a stable home in the wake of her mother's death, Vernice leaves Atlanta at eighteen for Spelman College, where she joins a sisterhood of powerfully connected Black women and marries into an affluent family. Annie, abandoned by her dissolute mother as a child, and fixated on the idea of finding her and filling the bottomless hole left by her absence, sets off on a journey that will take her into a world of peril and adversity, as well as love and adventure, and culminate in a battle for her life.   Tayari Jones Oprah Interview Tayari Jones on The Stacks Erin's Interview with ReShanda Tate about With Love From Harlem Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Keith Giles, Mary Terhune, Zac Cannon and Nish Dubashia about their collective work in Quantum Theology: Volume One. Listen to hear about: How science and spirituality may not be opposites, but different ways of exploring the same underlying reality How ideas from quantum physics—like interconnectedness and entanglement—echo concepts found in mysticism and religious traditions Why many contributors believe the sense of separation between people, cultures, and religions is an illusion, and what recognizing our interconnectedness could mean for humanity. How mystical experiences challenge the limits of language—why some spiritual insights can't fully be explained, only experienced How awakening to shared consciousness could transform ethics, compassion, and how we treat one another   Quantum Theology, Volume One Summary Quantum Theology: Volume One brings together an extraordinary and diverse group of scientists, mathematicians, theologians, mystics, authors, and cultural commentators to explore one of the most provocative conversations of our time: What happens when Quantum Physics and Theology begin to overlap? Edited and curated by author Keith Giles, this book explores the intersection between science and faith. Featuring contributions by: Brandy Anderson, Zac Cannon, Brother Jason (Jay) Clark, Michelle Collins, Stuart Delony, Nish Dubashia, Eric Scot English, Jeremy L. Evans, Ellen Haroutunian, DMin., Dr. Steve McVey, Mark Merizan, Jenny Lorraine Nielsen, William Sarill, Mary Terhune, R.N., Mo Thomas, and John van de Laar.   Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Steph has been traveling the world, and now she is back with Gare and me, talking about our Last, Current and Next Reads! Kate's Last, Current and Next Kin by Tayari Jones The Midnight Taxi by Yosha Gunaseker When I Was Death by Alexis Henderson Alexis Henderson's Substack About When I Was Death Gare's Last, Current and Next The Final Hunt Audrey J Cole The Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson The Vanishing Hour by Seraphina Nova Glass Steph Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth Sundown Girls by L.S. Stratton The Two Deaths of Lillian Carmichael by Paulette Kennedy Other Books Discussed The Secret Lives of Murderers' Wives The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett The Mothers by Brit Bennett History Lessons Zoe B. Wallbrook An American Marriage by Tayari Jones Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally Breakneck Bay by Faith Gardner The Spin Faith Gardner Heather by Caitlin Mullen Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Juliet Izon about her debut contemporary fiction novel The Encore. Listen now to hear about: How Izon, a longtime journalist pivoted into fiction, writing secret scenes at night, cold-DMing composers on Reddit for research, and building a debut novel from pure creative obsession Fame, artistic ambition, and complicated family dynamics, especially the mother-daughter tension between Anna and Lottie, and what happens when talent and identity collide The craft details that make this fictional music world feel real: tour bus logistics, conservatory life, perfect pitch, scoring scenes with playlists, and why the book's title changed from Arpeggio to The Encore The Encore Synopsis In 2003, at the prestigious Brookfield Conservatory in Boston, a chance encounter sparks an inimitable friendship between driven pianist and singer Anna Buckley and composer wunderkind Will Pendleton. Over the next four years, as they strive toward careers as professional musicians, their bond deepens both from shared prodigious skill and the inexplicable sense that they're kindred souls. But on the precipice of graduation, one night forever alters the trajectory of their lives, destroying their relationship in the process. Twenty years later in New York, 16-year-old piano virtuoso Lottie Thomas is grappling with the rigors of her elite prep school and the confounding disappearance of the woman who gave her up at birth. When Lottie suddenly discovers the startling truth of her identity, the revelation catalyzes a chain of events that not only reunites Lottie with her birth parents, but forces them together on a careening, cross-country rock and roll tour-bus journey. And it is there, trapped in these tight confines, that the three must finally reconcile with the irrevocable choices made a decade-and-a-half earlier. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

It's a solo ep today! I get into the full story of my first ever in-person author interview at Wild Geese Bookshop with Kate Alice Marshall!  I give a play by play of what was going on in my head, and share some fun facts about Kate Alice Marshall. For me, the experience ended up being a reminder of how far Bookwild has come. I reflect on the journey from starting a bookish podcast with no audience to finding a community of readers, authors, and indie bookstores who now feel like found family.   Get a copy of Kate Alice Marshall's The Girls Before Check out Wild Geese Bookshop Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Stephen Graham Jones about his new short story Night of the Mannequins, and the many horror books he's also written. Listen to hear: A behind-the-scenes look at how Stephen Graham Jones writes horror: following first sentences, trusting surprise endings, and letting stories unfold without outlining or theme-driven intent. Insight into why teenage perspectives, slashers, and “final girl” narratives resonate in his work, and how horror can function as a justice fantasy in an unfair world. A deep dive into Night of the Mannequins, including its origin from a title and prank idea, plus a broader conversation on genre-blending, identity in storytelling, and why he writes to genuinely scare readers. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Susana M. Morris about her Octavia E. Butler cultural biography Positive Obsession: The Life and Times of Octavia E. Butler. Listen to hear about: Octavia Butler's journey from a shy, self-diagnosed dyslexic student to a groundbreaking sci-fi author, and how her relentless “positive obsession” with writing shaped her career.   How Butler's work reflects deep research, historical pattern recognition, and sharp social insight—explaining why her stories feel prophetic even though she chaffed at that comparison.   The personal costs and creative rewards of dedicating your life to meaningful work, and how Butler's example encourages artists and writers to pursue their own Positive Obsessions.   Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Susan Walter about her new airplane thriller Murder at 30,000 Feet.  She shares her inspiration from the story, how she writes such cinematic thrillers, and how she managed multiple POVs. Murder at 30,000 Feet Synopsis It's a ticket to paradise. Flight 868 with nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Over a dozen tipsy passengers are off to a destination wedding. A team of high school baseball players are headed to a tournament. The plane is packed with people eager to escape their lives, and others who can't wait to return to their beloved home. But sweet anticipation turns to terror when a lightning strike short-circuits the avionics and plunges the plane into darkness. When the lights come back on, a passenger is found brutally murdered, with only a bewildered air marshal to solve the crime. He soon realizes that several passengers are harboring dark secrets, but the identity of the murderer eludes him. There's only one certainty: the killer is on the plane. Thousands of feet above the earth with thunderstorms closing in, the danger outside is as grave as the mounting threat within. Can the captain outrun the storm? Or will the murderer among them bring the plane down first?   Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, MacKenzie Green (who auditioned for ANTM) and I talk about the cultural implications of America's Next Top Model documentary Reality Check.  We also share fiction and non-fiction books that relate to the themes of the documentary. Hear us dive into: How pop culture—especially America's Next Top Model—shaped beauty standards, body image, and the way women learned to critique themselves and each other. A broader conversation about “girl-on-girl” dynamics: internalized patriarchy, reality TV as a mirror of culture, and why shows like RuPaul's Drag Race offered a more affirming counterpoint. How being a conscious consumer makes all the difference in the media you consume. Books for the ANTM Syllabus Girl on Girl by Sophie Gilbert Cue The Sun! by Emily Nussbaum The Lilac People by Milo Todd Apprentice in Wonderland by Ramin Setoodeh The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Model Home by Rivers Solomon Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Wendy Walker about her new ice skating thriller Blade! We dive into her past with ice skating, how she developed her cast of characters, and how she chose the unique plot structure.Blade SynopsisAna Robbins was an Olympic star in the making—until tragedy forced her to leave that world behind. At the age of sixteen, she gave up her dream and never looked back. Fourteen years later, she's a successful defense attorney, revered for her work with minors. But when her former coach turns up dead, Ana lands right back where it all began, and abruptly The Palace, a world-renowned skating facility nestled high in the mountains of Colorado.Ana returns to The Palace to defend the young skater accused of the brutal crime—Grace Montgomery. Despite her claims of innocence, all evidence points squarely at Grace's guilt, and she's days away from facing charges of first-degree murder.But Ana's investigation dredges up childhood memories of her own, triggering the fear that permeates this place where she once lived and trained far from home as an “Orphan.” With a blizzard raging outside, and time running out for Grace, Ana is determined to uncover the truth—even if it means exposing her own secrets that she buried here long ago. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we catch up on what we've been reading and watching, as well as our thoughts in Emerald Fennell's upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation. We also share romance-adjacent book recommendations for Valentine's Day.Kate's BooksA Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia WilliamsHistory Lessons by Zoe E WallbrookThis Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany CrumThe Long Game by Rachel ReidMy Husband by Maud VenturaHalley's BooksEnormous Wings by Laurie FrankelCross My Heart by Megan CollinsCrush by Frederic DardI'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself by Glynnis MacNicolThe Bridesmaid by Ruth RendellWe Are Too Many by Hannah Pitard Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

BONUS EPISODE!!MacKenzie Green and I were set to record yesterday (the morning after the Benito Bowl) for a Friday episode, but all we could talk about was Bad Bunny's performance, so I decide for timing's sake, it made sense to release it today!We discuss it all: why it felt historic rather than merely entertaining, how the show functioned as protest art, communal storytelling, and cultural affirmation, especially for Latino and Afro-Latino audiences. We also dive into how intentional details—language, symbolism, ancestry, refusal to translate or explain—created a moment that centered people who are usually asked to assimilate, while inviting others to listen, learn, or sit with not fully understanding, proof that creativity, empathy, and resistance exist loudly and beautifully even in times of backlash and fear. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Jeff Rake and Rob Hart about the first installment of their new series Detour. Jeff shares how he got the idea for the story originally for TV, but when he mentioned it to a friend they said it sounded like a novel. When he got connected to Rob, their partnership was instantly born, and they went on to write an entire full-length novel without meeting in person until the very end.They share what their process was like, how they developed such a large cast of characters, and how being fathers themselves shaped the family themes in the book.Detour SynopsisRyan Crane wasn't looking for trouble—just a cup of coffee. But when this cop spots a gunman emerging from an unmarked van, he leaps into action and unknowingly saves John Ward, a billionaire with presidential aspirations, from an assassination attempt.As thanks for Ryan's quick thinking, Ward offers him the chance of a lifetime: to join a group of lucky civilians chosen to accompany three veteran astronauts on the first manned mission to Saturn's moon Titan.A devoted family man, Ryan is reluctant to leave on this two-year expedition, yet with the encouragement of his loving wife—and an exorbitant paycheck guaranteeing lifetime care for their disabled son—he crews up and ventures into a new frontier.But as the ship is circling Titan, it is rocked by an unexplained series of explosions. The crew works together to get back on course, and they return to Earth as heroes.When the fanfare dies down, Ryan and his fellow astronauts notice that things are different. Some changes are good, such as lavish upgrades to their homes, but others are more disconcerting. Before the group can connect, mysterious figures start tailing them, and their communications are scrambled.Separated and suspicious, the crew must uncover the truth and decide how far they're willing to go to return to their normal lives. Just when their space adventure seemingly ends, it shockingly begins. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and I chat with May Cobb about her new, messy thriller All the Little Houses! She shares the inspiration for the story, how she managed multiple POVs, and what it was like on the set of The Hunting Wives.All the Little Houses SynopsisIt's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself… well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she'd so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh's entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble. Who will be left standing when the dust settles? Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and I talk with Ashley Winstead about her new contemporary fiction (tragi-comedy but don't tell Ashley's publicists we said so) The Future Saints! We dive into her inspiration for the book, how it changed over the years through rounds of edits, and her fascination with ambitious women and how the world reacts to them.The Future Saints SynopsisThis is a love story, but not the one you're expecting.When record executive Theo meets the Future Saints, they're bombing at a dive bar in their hometown. Since the tragic death of their manager, the band has been in a downward spiral and Theo has been dispatched to coax a new—and successful—album out of them, or else let them go.Immediately, Theo is struck by Hannah, the group's impetuous lead singer, who's gone off script by debuting a whole new sound, replacing their California pop with gut-wrenching rock. When this new music goes viral, striking an unexpected chord with fans, Theo puts his career on the line to give the Saints one last shot at success with a new tour, new record, and new start.But Hannah's grief has larger consequences for the group, and her increasingly destructive antics become a distraction as she and her sister Ginny—her lifelong partner in crime—undermine Theo at every turn. Hannah isn't ready to move on or prepared for the fame she's been chasing, and the weight of her problems jeopardize the band, her growing closeness with Theo, and, worst of all, her relationship with her sister—all while the world watches closely. The Future Saints's big break is here—if only they can survive it. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Petra Lord about her debut genre bending fantasy-sci-fi-dark-academia book Queen of Faces. She shares the eight year journey of writing the book, how she injured herself while writing it, and how fantasy worlds are so effective for social commentary.Queen of Faces SynopsisAnabelle Gage is trapped in a male body, and it's rotting from the inside out. In Caimor, where the magical elite buy and swap designer bodies like clothes, Ana can't afford to escape her tattered form. When she fails the entrance exam to the prestigious Paragon Academy, her last hope of earning a new body implodes. As the clock ticks down to her last breath, she's forced to use her illusion magic to steal a healthy chassis—before her own kills her.But Ana is caught by none other than the headmaster of Paragon Academy, who poses a brutal ultimatum: face execution for her crime or become a mercenary at his command. Revolt brews in Caimor's smog-choked underworld, and the wealthy and powerful will stop at nothing to take down the rebels and the infamous dark witch at their helm, the Black Wraith.With no choice but to accept, Ana will steal, fight, and kill her way to salvation. But her survival depends on a dangerous band of an impulsive assassin, a brooding bombmaker, and an alluring exile who might just spell her ruin. As Ana is drawn into a tangled web of secrets, the line between villain and hero shatters—and Ana must decide which side is worth dying for. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Amy Meyerson about her new mystery thriller The Water Lies. We dive into her inspiration for the book, how audiobooks changed her approach to pacing, and how she grappled with intuition, pregnancy and motherhood.*This was supposed to be released on January 1, but I put it in my release calendar for February 1, so some of our conversation may seem dated!*The Water Lies SynopsisHeavily pregnant with her second child, Tessa Irons has enough on her mind without her toddler throwing tantrums at the local coffee shop. The boy is inconsolable, shouting “Gigi!” to a woman Tessa's never seen before—and never will again. The next morning, the woman's body is dredged up from the canal outside the Ironses' posh Venice Beach home, and Tessa's gut tells her it's no coincidence.Barb Geller refuses to believe that her daughter's death was just some drunken accident. She heads to California for answers, where she crosses paths with Tessa. Together they hunt for the truth, certain they'll find a connection between their children.But the police don't believe them. Tessa's husband dismisses her worries as pregnancy jitters, and even though people are always watching along the canals, no one saw a thing. Tessa and Barb only have each other, their intuition, and the creeping sense of danger that grows with every shocking revelation. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and Steph and I attempt to predict which books will be some of our favorite books in 2026!Kate's BooksDead Beat Alex Stern Leigh BardugoHot Girl Murder Club by Ashley WinsteadThe Caretaker Marcus KliewerHoney by Imani ThompsonQueen of FacesGare's BooksThe Secret Lives of Murderers Wives by Elizabeth ArnottThis Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany CrumHelpless by Jessica KnollHeather by Caitlin MullenHeart of Glass Jennifer HillierSteph's BooksIt Could Have Been Her by Lisa JewellCleo Dang Would Rather Be Dead by Mai NguyenForget You Saw Her by Noelle W. IhliGood Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki BrammerLet's Not Go Overboard Here by Erica Hendry Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with L.S. Stratton about the her new YA mystery thriller Sundown Girls. Stratton discusses how the story began as an adult novel and transformed into YA once she shifted the perspective to a sixteen-year-old protagonist, allowing the narrative to flow more naturally.She shares the real-world inspiration behind the book, including historical sundown towns, racial violence, and real kidnapping cases, and how these histories shaped both the setting and Naomi's identity as a formerly missing girl.We discuss her use of themes of belonging, family reunification, generational trauma, and racism—particularly how uncertainty, gaslighting, and “is this real or am I imagining it?” in the book mirror lived experiences of racism. She also dive into blending supernatural elements with psychological tension, the challenges of writing historical horror, the importance of family dynamics and emotional pacing in thrillers, and the decision to leave some questions—especially around Naomi's kidnapped childhood—unresolved as part of her growth.Follow L.S. Stratton hereSundown Girls SynopsisWhen sixteen-year-old Naomi Stoakes and her family head to a secluded cabin in the Shenandoah Valley for summer vacation they don't know the small, mountainous town of Sparksburg, Virginia has a dark and twisted past. But when they arrive, Naomi can't shake the feeling that something about Sparksburg just isn't right. When she learns Sparksburg had once been a Sundown Town—a town where Blacks weren't allowed after sunset lest they be murdered—well Naomi's unease starts to make sense.As Naomi digs more into Sparksburg's violent origins, she finds herself haunted by the ghost of a girl, appearing nightly outside her window. Then she learns of two girls who've recently gone missing and suspects the past may still be present in Sparksburg and beneath the quaint façade of this tourist town is a palpable danger.When Naomi decides to track the disappearance of the two girls herself and confronts the ghost of another, she become suspicious of a local man who has kindled fear in Naomi more than once. When she learns he has a connection to one of the missing girls, Naomi is certain he's responsible for the disappearances.When no one believes her, Naomi takes matters into her own hands. But to save the missing girls, she'll have to finally face her own past trauma as a “missing girl”, and risk losing everything she loves. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with historian Heather Ann Thompson about her new non-fiction Fear and Fury, which traces how the 1984 Bernie Goetz subway shooting became a flashpoint for the Reagan-era rollback of public investment, the rise of punitive policing, and the normalization of white vigilantism.Moving between the lived experiences of the four Black teenagers who were shot and the political, media, and economic forces that quickly transformed Goetz into a folk hero, Thompson shows how fear was deliberately manufactured and redirected away from structural inequality and toward racialized scapegoats.We compare 1980s New York to the present moment—drawing lines to media sensationalism, carceral logic, and modern cases of state and vigilante violence—while insisting that this history is neither accidental nor inevitable. By centering the long-term human cost borne by the victims and their families, the conversation ultimately argues that understanding how white rage was cultivated is essential to imagining a more just future.Fear and Fury: The Reagan Eighties, the Bernie Goetz Shootings, and the Rebirth of White Rage SynopsisOn December 22, 1984, white New Yorker Bernhard Goetz shot four Black teenagers at point-blank in a New York City subway car. Goetz slipped into the subway tunnels undetected, fleeing the city to evade capture. From the moment Goetz turned himself in, the narrative surrounding the shooting became a matter of extraordinary debate, igniting public outcry and capturing the attention of the nation.While Goetz's guilt was never in question, media outlets sensationalized the event, redirecting public ire toward the victims themselves. In the end, it would take two grand juries and a civil suit to achieve justice on behalf of the four Black teenagers. For some, Goetz would go on to become a national hero, inciting a disturbing new chapter in American history. This brutal act revealed a white rage and resentment much deeper, larger, and more insidious than the actions of Bernie Goetz himself. Intensified by politicians and tabloid media, it would lead a stunning number of white Americans to celebrate vigilantism as a fully legitimate means for addressing racial fear, fracturing American race relations.Follow Heather here Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Erin Ashley is back, and we talk about our Last, Current and Next reads, as well as books we are intrigued by on our TBRs.Kate's BooksKill Show — Daniel Swearen-BeckerWhen the Reckoning Comes — LaTanya McQueenThe Future Saints — Ashley WinsteadBlade — Wendy WalkerReader Bot — Naomi S. BaronOn Sunday She Picked Flowers — Yah-Yah ScholfieldGirl Gone Wild — Courtney KocakErin's BooksTruly— Lionel RichieTiny Experiments — Anne-Laure Le CunffLittle One — Olivia MuenterHeart the Lover — Lily KingDeep Cuts — Holly BrickleyAn American Marriage — Tayari JonesKin — Tayari JonesSay Everything — Ione SkyeKeeper of Lost Children — Sadeqa JohnsonThe Ballad of Teena Marie — Teena Marie Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Matt Casamassina about his genre-bending sci-fi-horror-thriller Degenerate. He shares his unique approach to audiobook production, how reading Stephen King as a kid influenced his writing, and how one of his co-workers inspired the story.Degenerate by Matt CasamassinaMason Kowalski, a twenty-four year-old copywriter for a San Mateo startup, is on the verge of a nervous breakdown when he inexplicably suffers widespread vision loss in one eye. The doctors say it's macular degeneration triggered by overwhelming stress, but he wonders if it's something more, especially when the shadows in his peripheral vision begin to take shape and whisper wonderful and horrible things to him. Is it madness or destiny? The answer could destroy everything and everyone he holds dear. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, MacKenzie Green is back, and we talk about 2026 releases we are excited about!Books MacKenzie Talked About2026 ReleasesHalf His Age – Jennette McCurdyFear and Fury – Heather Ann ThompsonThere's Only One Sin in Hollywood – Rasheed NewsonVigil – George SaundersAmerican Fantasy – Emma StraubLady Tremaine – Gretchen McNeilOther BooksFrankenstein – Mary ShelleyBlood in the Water – Heather Ann ThompsonThe Gods of New York – Jonathan MahlerChallenger – Adam HigginbothamMidnight in Chernobyl – Adam HigginbothamFrostbite – Nicola TwilleyLolita – Vladimir NabokovMy Government Means to Kill Me – Rasheed NewsonLincoln in the Bardo – George SaundersGirl Dinner – Olivie BlakeBooks Kate Talked About2026 ReleasesYesteryear – Caro Claire BurkeSublimation – Isabel J. KimScreen People – Megan GarberLanguage as Liberation – Toni MorrisonJapanese Gothic – Kylie Lee BakerOther Books Separation of Church and Hate –  John FugelsangThe Bluest Eye – Toni MorrisonBeloved – Toni MorrisonProject Hail Mary – Andy WeirThe Martian – Andy WeirScream With Me – Eleanor Johnson Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Yasmin Angoe is back for the fifth year in a row to talk about here new mystery-thriller Behind These Four Walls! We dive into her inspiration for the story, how she created the wealthy, villainous Corrigan family, and Isla's private investigator adjacent job.Behind These Four Walls SynopsisIsla Thorne had a rough start in life. Orphaned young, she spent her formative years in a group home where she met her best friend, Eden Galloway. At sixteen, they decide to run away to LA…but Eden never makes it.It's been ten years since Eden vanished. And Isla's determined to find her.She begins at the last place Eden visited: the Corrigan mansion in Virginia. Eden claimed to have unfinished business there. Posing as an aspiring journalist, Isla insinuates herself into the wealthy family's home and begins searching for the truth.The more she digs, the more Isla discovers Eden isn't who she thought she was. Was she even a victim, or did Eden plan this all along? Desperate for answers and to keep her identity hidden, Isla finds an ally in one of the Corrigan sons. But as she wades deeper into this power-hungry family's secrets and lies, she finds herself in the crosshairs of a bloodline that's more lethal than loyal. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I share our 2026 bookish goals, and January and February releases we are excited about! Steph also shares a few backlist she will be reading in January and February.Kate's BooksKin by Tayari JonesSpies and Other Gods James WolffQueen of Faces by Petra LordOn Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah-Yah Scholfield Unread: A Memoir of Learning (And Loving) to Read on TikTok  by Oliver JamesGare's BooksA Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. JamesDead in the Water by John MarrsHere Lie All the Boys Who Broke My Heart by Emma SimmermanThe Exes by Leodora DarlingtonLast Seen by Christopher CastellaniSteph's BooksDark Sisters by Kristi DeMeesterThe Act of Disappearing by Nathan GowerIt's Not Her by Mary KubicaBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashimoThe Correspondent by Virginia Evans Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Amanda Jones, a dedicated small-town Louisiana librarian, about the challenges she faces in her fight against book banning and censorship. She discusses her passion for literature, the importance of representation in books, the defamatory posts about her that spread like wildfire, and the impact of misinformation on community perceptions. Amanda has always championed the importance of diverse literature and the role of libraries as safe spaces for all children, particularly those from marginalized communities.Read all about Amanda's journey in her book That Librarian: The Fight Against Book Banning in America Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Halley and I catch up on what we've been reading and watching, and then dive into bookish plans and goals for 2026! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Brittany Penner about her memoir Children Like Us, a haunting, deeply reflective exploration of identity, faith, and survival. Brittany shares what it was like growing up as an Indigenous child adopted into a Mennonite family that fostered dozens of other children, unpacking the long-term impact of the Sixties Scoop, religious indoctrination, and being taught to feel “grateful” for circumstances rooted in colonial harm.We dive into dissociation, self-abandonment, storytelling as a tool for healing, and the complicated reality of holding love for family while confronting the systems that caused lasting damage.We discuss grief, nuance, and reclamation, ultimately asking what it means to trust your own memory, honor your pain, and slowly learn how to walk yourself home.Learn more about Brittany here Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and I talk about what we've been watching lately, our favorite 2025 reads, and some 2026 books Gare already loves, as well as some 2026 hopefuls!Our 2025 FavesKate's BooksProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirJunie by Erin Crosby EckstineAnd Then She Fell by Alicia ElliotBlood Over Bright Haven by M. L. WangSky Full of Elephants by Cebo WilliamsThe Reformatory by Tananarive DueGare's BooksNight Watcher by Daphne WoolsoncroftThis Book Will Bury Me by Ashley WinsteadBoom Town by Nic StoneKeep This For Me by Jennifer FawcettHeated Rivalry by Rachel ReidToo Old for This by Samantha Downing2026 Books We Talked AboutBoring Asian Female by Canwen XuHelpless by Jessica KnollOn Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah ScholfieldThe Better Mother by Jennifer Van der KleutThe Future Saints by Ashley WinsteadSundown Girls by L.S. StrattonShows We Talked AboutThe Beast in MeDexter: ResurrectionSlow HorsesDown Cemetery RoadStranger ThingsHeated Rivalry Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Brian Recker about his book Hell Bent, which examines how fear-based teachings about hell distort Christian spirituality, replacing love, connection, and moral discernment with control, shame, and punishment avoidance. Drawing from his upbringing in fundamentalism and later work as an evangelical pastor, he shares how early indoctrination around hell fractures relationships with God, self, and others, discourages intuition and questioning, all while propping up systems of domination—from abusive religious authority to political movements rooted in fear. Rather than abandoning spirituality altogether, he reclaimed Jesus from these systems, reframing faith as a practice of love, justice, and liberation in this life instead of an anxious fixation on the afterlife. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Halley Sutton is back, and we dive into everything we've been reading and watching - which is quite a lot! We also share a few 2026 books we are excited to read.What We've Been ReadingEveryone Is Lying to You — Joe PiazzaAlchemy of Secrets — Stephanie GarberVantage Point — Sarah SligarGood Dirt — Charmaine Wilkerson 2026 HopefulsThe Future Saints — Ashley WinsteadAll the Little Houses — May Cobb The Fortune Tellers of Rue Daru — Olyseia Solnikova GilmoreVigil — George Saunders The Story Eaters of Yamm — Kevin HinckerLady X — Molly FaderMurder Bimbo — Rebecca NovakThe Temptation of Charlotte North — Camilla Bruce Movies & TV Shows We Talked AboutPluribusDexter: ResurrectionThe Beast in Me BallardDeath By LightningSlow HorsesThe BeastFrankensteinHamnetWake Up Dead Man  Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with John Fram about the creative process behind his new horror-thriller The Midnight Knock, a genre-blending desert nightmare. He dives into selling the book early, wrestling with a complex multi-POV structure, and navigating the behind-the-scenes realities of publishing—from word-count limits to printing costs to foreign rights. He traces the story's roots from a childhood moment of awe in West Texas to the unsettling idea of an endless highway, explaining how claustrophobia, cosmic horror, indigenous-informed mythology, and a terrifying owl-snake creature all converged in a motel where the guests can't outrun their pasts—or the desert itself. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I share our last, current and next reads!Kate's BooksLast - Degenerate by Matt CasamassinaCurrent - Children Like Us by Birttany PennerNext - Good Dirt by Charmaine WilkersonGare's BooksLast - All the Little Houses by May CobbCurrent - Heated Rivalry by Rachel RiedNext - The House Guests by Amber and Danielle BrownSteph's BooksLast - Everyone is Lying to You by Jo PiazzaCurrent - At Least You Have Your Health by Madi SinhaNext - Seduction Theory by Emily Adrian Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Kristi DeMeester shares how her new novel Dark Sisters emerged from a collision of personal history, cultural rage, and the disturbing ease with which faith, patriarchy, and power can be weaponized. We discuss purity culture, megachurch hypocrisy, witch-trial history, feminist reclamation, the generational impact of religious fundamentalism, and how horror can become a perfect container for social truth-telling, female rage, and bittersweet hope.Check out the book here:Dark Sisters by Kristi DeMeester Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, MacKenzie Green is back and we dive into the complexities of pop culture, the deeper meanings embedded in modern media, how storytelling has evolved, the impact of anti-intellectualism, and the importance of critical engagement with entertainment.We discuss the intersection of identity and societal issues, emphasizing that every piece of content carries a message, whether overt or subtle, and the necessity of understanding historical context in shaping narratives amidst a growing trend of superficial engagement with media.We also share how finding and creating communities that value intellectual rigor and deeper analysis of art is has helped both of us, and how even if you don't align with everyone in your family, a found family can be just as powerful. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Keith Giles about how the early Christian world was far more diverse and mystical than most people realize. He unpacks the history of suppressed gospels, the erasure of Mary Magdalene's authority, and how non-duality, interconnectedness, and compassion sit at the heart of Jesus's original teachings. We dive into deconstruction, Christian nationalism, biblical misuse, and how theology shapes our relationships with ourselves and others.Keith offers a grounded, hopeful vision of spirituality rooted not in fear or hierarchy, but in transformation, justice, and shared humanity.The Quantum Gospel of Mary Info Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I all chose one of our own favorite plot devices and recommended books in that vein! This episode definitely has a book for just about everybody!Kate's Books - Books with Dramatic IronyI, MedusaStalkerDark SistersSky Full of ElephantsHappy LandGare's Books - Thrillers with Sex WorkBoom TownReal EasyThese WomenThings We Do in the DarkThe Girl in 6ESteph's Books - Books with Road TripsThe Road to Tender HeartsNeedle LakePaper GhostsI Thought You Said This Would WorkHe Started It Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Erin Crosby Eckstine about her debut Southern Gothic, Junie. She shares how the book developed across years of writing, the importance of portraying enslaved characters with full humanity rather than stereotypes, and why she crafted Junie as a flawed, emotionally real teenager navigating a world she can't yet fully understand. Erin also explains Gothic and Southern Gothic traditions, the role of ghostly elements like Minnie, the influence of literature within the story, and how intergenerational family history shaped both the novel and her own life.Follow Erin on:InstagramTikTok Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

Audra McElyea returns to talk about her new locked-room, cancel-culture thriller Not Good People, a twisty ensemble mystery set in a blizzard-stranded Blue Ridge Mountain castle. Audra shares how a decades-old British play inspired her to blend popcorn-thriller pacing with a deeper moral reckoning, how she crafted eleven interconnected characters through actor-based mannerisms, and why the story's escalating secrets force readers to examine not just the cast—but themselves. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare, Steph and I share books we think are good discussion starters for book clubs!Books We Talked AboutKate's PicksBlood Over Bright Haven by M.L. WangDominion by Addie E. CitchensMy Husband by Maud VenturaProject Hail Mary by Andy WeirAllegedly by Tiffany D JacksonGare's PicksKeep it In the Family by John MarrsBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoHis & Hers by Alice FeeneyAmerican Psycho by Bret Easton EllisSteph's PicksWitchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady HendrixNone of This is True by Lisa JewellSisters of the Lost Nation by Nick MedinaDon't Forget the Girl by Rebecca McKannaAll the Sinners Bleed by S.A. CosbyThe Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, I talk with Wen-Yi Lee about her adult fantasy debut When They Burned the Butterfly—a fierce, Sapphic story of rage, inheritance, and transformation set in post-colonial Singapore. She shares how her homecoming to Singapore shaped this deeply personal book, how real history and mythology intertwined to form her world of fire magic and girl gangs, and why female rage and found family remain at the heart of her storytelling. We also dive into her creative process, from “chasing the shiny thing” when writing to reimagining real-life places and histories that have since disappeared. If you love Jade City, The Poppy War, or any fantasy that blazes with feminist fury, you will love When They Burned the Butterfly! Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Gare and I got to chat with bestselling author Nic Stone to talk about her adult debut thriller, Boom Town—a gritty, sexy, and socially sharp story set in Atlanta's iconic strip-club scene. Nic opens up about her path from YA to adult fiction, the inspiration behind Boom Town (and why she wrote it before anyone else could), and how she approached portraying sex work, power, and autonomy with authenticity and respect. We also discuss banned books, Atlanta's strip club culture, Nic's dad's unforgettable reaction to the audiobook, and the sheer joy of writing complex, powerful Black women. Check Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackGet Bookwild MerchFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrianMacKenzie Green @missusa2mba

This week, Steph and I got chat with Kirsten Miller about her newest novel The Women of Wild Hill. She shares the evolution of her writing process, and the inspirations behind her sharp, witchy, and deeply human stories.She dives into her love of flawed “unlikable” women, and her view of witchcraft as a metaphor for women's power and connection to nature. She unpacks how setting, character, and “vibe” shape her work; how hope underpins even her darkest stories; and how The Women of Wild Hill extends the feminist universe begun in The Change, spanning generations of women using their power against patriarchy.We also discuss the cultural resurgence of witch narratives, the importance of honoring women's sacrifices throughout history, audiobook narration with January LaVoy, and the enduring magic of storytelling as both art and act of resistance.Women of Wild Hill Synopsis Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Halley is back and she shares her experiences at NoirCon, I share my new obsession with Scream With Me, a non-fiction book that draws parallels between popular horror movies from 1968-1980 and feminism, and then we must dive into the monstrous men who star in and/or create some of said films. Because how could we not end up talking about that??We also do a brief bit on Lily Allen's new album West End Girl, Kayla Nicole's Halloween clapback, and the continuing conflict of Ms. Swift. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I got to talk with Cate Holahan about her new thriller The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold. She shares the real life case that inspired the kidnapping structure, how anxiety fuels her best ideas, and how she approached writing an AI tech guru.The Kidnapping of Alice Ingold SynopsisAlice Ingold has been kidnapped. Call the police. Alert the media. You can't play this game without all the pieces.Beautiful, blond, and immensely privileged, Alice Ingold is the perfect victim for a true-crime obsessed culture--and for a masked duo with a singular purpose. Instead of a demand for ransom, her captors have a riddle, and they're inviting the entire country to solve it.No one is more invested in the search than Alice's parents: Catherine, a socialite with obscene generational wealth, and Brian, a visionary AI tech guru. But while Brian turns to machines to solve the problem, Catherine tries to crowdsource the solution, stopping at nothing to bring her daughter home. And America isn't just watching the story unfold...it's playing along. The nationwide scavenger hunt for Alice is on.As an increasingly desperate Catherine strives to understand each new clue, a complex picture of the crime develops. Soon, everyone will see the kidnapping of Alice Ingold for what it is--and Alice won't be the only one who will need saving. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I talk with Pelumi Olatinpo about his new poetry collection Manifest Destiny. He shares how and why he created a new type of poetry, what inspired him to write about Manifest Destiny and the way it echoes throughout history, and the power of bearing witness.Manifest Destiny SynopsisAmerica turns 250 in 2026. In MANIFEST DESTINY, Pelumi Olatinpo delivers an essential examination of what we've been, what we are, and what we might become.This isn't a traditional book. It's a new form entirely—159 “sonetas” that compress centuries into seconds, each one exactly sixty words. Think of them as diagnostic tools, or prayers, or evidence. Olatinpo's innovation makes complex history feel like music in your bones.Olatinpo writes with the authority of someone who has lived the contradictions he interrogates: arriving undocumented at fifteen, becoming a citizen twenty-two years later. This second book after the acclaimed Poeta moves through four sections—from intimate love through historical memory to prophetic witness—each soneta a small revelation.“All men are created equal, some more equal than others.”“In Lagos, you damn the bled, or join the dead.”“I've loved you with the darkest and brightest blues / Of every ocean.”The journey spans continents and centuries, connecting Gaza to Gettysburg, colonial Nigeria to contemporary Chicago. Code-switching between biblical prophecy, constitutional language, and Nigerian Pidgin, Olatinpo reveals patterns we've been trained not to see.Extensive endnotes turn every reference into a teaching moment. The final piece appears on the book's endpaper—making it impossible to close without confronting the question: who remembers?For readers of Ta-Nehisi Coates' Between the World and Me, Claudia Rankine's Citizen, and anyone seeking to understand America at this crucial moment.Essential reading for the 250th anniversary. A book that transcends genre to become necessary equipment for our time. Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, Gare, Steph and I share some of our favorite recommendations for spooky season!Kate's PicksNo Road Home by John FramThe Getaway by Lamar GilesThe Buffalo Hunter HunterThe Macabre by Kosoko JacksonJackal by Erin E. AdamsGare's PicksNightwatcher by Daphne WolsoncroftPlease See Us by Caitlin MullenThe Sundown Motel by Simone St. JamesKeep This For Me by Jennifer FawcettSteph's PicksLook Closer by David EllisAlmost Surely Dead by Amina AkhtarPlay Nice by Rachel HarrisonSlewfoot by BromHow to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

This week, I chat with Vanessa Lillie about her new thriller in her Syd Walker series, The Bone Thief! We dive into her inspiration for the story, the research she did to incorporate historic and contemporary elements, and the social structures that inspired the Founders Society.The Bone Thief SynopsisIn the hours before dawn at a local summer camp, Bureau of Indian Affairs archaeologist Syd Walker receives an alarming call: newly discovered skeletal remains have been stolen. Not only have bones gone missing, but a Native teen girl has disappeared near the camp, and law enforcement dismisses her family's fears.As Syd investigates both crimes, she's drawn into a world of privileged campers and their wealthy parents—most of them members of the Founders Society, an exclusive club whose members trace their lineage to the first colonists and claim ancestral rights to the land, despite fierce objections from the local tribal community. And it's not the first time something—or someone—has gone missing from the camp.The deeper Syd digs, the more she realizes these aren't isolated incidents. A pattern of disappearances stretches back generations, all leading to the Founders Society's doorstep. But exposing the truth means confronting not just the town's most powerful families, but also a legacy of violence that refuses to stay buried.  Get Bookwild MerchCheck Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian