Novel Feelings: A Mental Health Book Club

Elise and Priscilla chat to author Ariane Beeston on her memoir, Because I'm Not Myself, You See, which traces her experience with motherhood and mental illness. Discussion topics include perinatal and postnatal depression and anxiety, postpartum psychosis, inpatient treatment, and stigma.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2024 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

In this episode, Priscilla interviews clinician-author Dr Sarah Sasson about the newly released Tidelines, a tender coming-of-age novel about growing up in the face of unimaginable loss. Tidelines examines the stories we subconsciously write for ourselves, and what remains later, when we have the courage to tear them apart. Discussion topics include substance use, ambiguous grief and loss, and burnout in the medical profession.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

Nobody said fifth grade was going to be easy, and Penny Lowry has a million questions going through her mind all the time. The Penny Draws series by Sara Shepard follows Penny as she navigates feelings, friendships, and all sorts of changes that life brings her way. In turns sweet and hilarious, we adored the series, and we were delighted to chat to Sara about how she approaches writing themes of mental health and anxiety for a younger audience.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

How do you pick up the pieces after life has served you enough trauma for a lifetime?Charlotte, aged 17, is trying to recover in a world that owes her nothing, but has taken so much. In our season 3 finale, we dive into Girl in Pieces' representations of self-harm, hospitalisation, and unhealthy relationships, and ask the big question: does this book risk doing more harm than good?Spoiler review starts at 31:34.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.Note: We will going on hiatus in the first half of 2024, but hope to launch Season 4 later in the year!

Life is pretty good for sixteen-year-old Abby. When new girl Chloe arrives, Abby is pleased to be the one to show her around, to welcome her to the group. But Abby doesn't imagine Chloe fitting in so well or quite so quickly. And before long Abby is feeling just a little left out, a little unsure of Ella's friendship. In a moment of anger and confusion she wishes something bad would happen. When it does—with tragic consequences—everything shifts again.In this episode, we speak with the author of Let's Never Speak of this Again, Megan Williams, about the book, her characters, her writing process, and winning the 2023 Text Prize.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

Is it possible to hibernate your problems away?Our main character - privileged, vain, and traumatised - chooses to sleep for a year to take a break from her life. In our spiciest review yet, we discuss self-medication, unlikable characters, and one of the worst mental heath professionals we've ever encountered in fiction.Spoiler review starts at 41:36Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

When Dale stumbles into a bedroom at a party and sees a drunk girl being undressed by a group of guys, he backs away and runs. He's pretty drunk himself, but he knows what he saw. Why didn't he stop them? Why did he run?We speak in-depth with author Robyn Dennison about how she approaches writing a character who struggles with passivity, representations of disordered eating, and her research.NOTE: Apologies for the audio issues in this episode. We were contending with new equipment and not everything went according to plan!Find Robyn via her website, Instagram, and Twitter.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

How do you come back from the depths of your own mind? Neal Shusterman is one of our favourite authors, so it was a no brainer for us to dive into a book he's written about an often stigmatised mental health disorder.Joined by Leah from YA Book Chat, we discuss the experiences of delusions and hallucinations; hospital-based treatments of mental health disorders; and the role of families in recovery.Spoiler review starts at 33:23.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

Three sisters. Three sisters. Three vastly different lives. A maelstrom of family secrets.The Neapolitan Sisters is riotous, provocative tale of family and sisterhood. Maritza is a princess bridezilla, Claudia is the family “fixer,” and Dulcina “Dooley” is finally sober. As the three are reunited for a wedding, their secrets are unravelled.We speak in-depth with author Margo Candela about the evolution of her writing, challenging stereotypes, control, and writing complex characters.Find Margo via her website, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

When our whole lives are online, how can we keep things private... and safe? Dark Mode delves into the terrifying reality of the dark web, and the price we pay for surrendering our privacy one click at a time.Join us as we speak with author Ashley Kalagian Blunt about online misogyny, radicalisation, narcissism and psychopathy. And the power of true crime.Find Ashley via her website, Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

There are plenty of dates in this story, but Queenie is not about romance.Queenie Jenkins navigates life after a long-term relationship break-up. The premise sounds like a rom-com, but the story visits some dark places along the way.In this episode, we discuss themes such as trauma, racism, anxiety, relationship red flags, and consent. Listen to find out why we think Queenie is well worth a read.Spoiler review starts at 35:14.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

If we don't talk about complex mental health conditions, how can we expect things to change? Journalist, presenter, and producer Elfy Scott joins us to talk about her book The One Thing We've Never Spoken About. This powerful piece of non-fiction draws from Elfy's family's experience with schizophrenia to ask big questions about vulnerability, justice and duty of care.We chat about Elfy about her personal connection to this topic, her experiences researching and writing the book, and sharing lived experience authentically.Find Elfy via her website, Instagram or Twitter.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

In our latest author interview, we talk with Anne Buist, author and psychiatrist. Anne recently published the fourth novel in the Natalie King Series, Locked Ward. The novel follows forensic psychiatrist Natalie, as she stays in the mother-baby unit of a private psychiatric unit - only to find herself in the centre of a murder case.We chat about Anne's previous and upcoming work, refugee mental health, the stigma of mental illness (particularly within the mental health profession), and more. The first half of the episode is spoiler-free!You can find Anne via her website.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

In this special interview, we chat with Allayne L. Webster, who recently published her tenth novel, Selfie. In Selfie, we meet year 8 student Tully, who is shocked to find herself the new best friend of teenage influencer Dene Walker.We chat about teenage friendships, the impact of social media on trust and identity, and the importance of staying true to yourself. Allayne reflects on her publishing journey, and shares her love for the Australian writing community.You can find Allayne via her Instagram, Twitter or website.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

Last episode was prompted by Elise's recommendation. This time, it's Priscilla's. Tiger Daughter tells the story of Wen and Henry, and what happens when tragedy strikes their community. We cover themes of domestic abuse, misogyny, and the ripple effect of suicide - all framed by the Chinese immigrant experience in Australia. The first part of this episode is spoiler-free.Also, we interview author Rebecca Lim! Stay tuned for Rebecca's insights on her writing process and the themes of Tiger Daughter. Spoiler review starts at 24:37 | Interview starts at 42:19Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph.Detailed show notes available on our website.

Everything we know about autism is wrong... or is it? In this special interview, we chat with Dr Jac den Houting, research psychologist and Autistic advocate working in pursuit of social justice. We chat about their autism research, Ted Talk and other advocacy work, and the power of media representation.You can find Jac via their twitter or website.Jac will appear at the All About Women Festival in Sydney on Sunday, March 12, on the Actually Autistic panel. Check out sydneyoperahouse.com for more info.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter The Storygraph Goodreads.Detailed show notes available on our website.

We're baaaaack! To kick off Season 3, we're covering the very hyped memoir I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy. We discuss Jennette's experience of childhood abuse and eating disorders, complicated grief, and our thoughts on her recovery process. FYI, our episodes are now two-parters: we start with general discussions of the books without spoilers, then we dive into the details.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Join our 2023 Reading Challenge on The Storygraph. Detailed show notes available on our website.

We are thrilled to announce that a new season will launch on January 7, 2023.And we're mixing things up! Listeners will have the opportunity to read along, with each book title released at least 6 weeks in advance. Six books are planned for the year – one episode every two months. Episodes will also be accessible to people who haven't read the book yet, as the first half will be spoiler-free.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Detailed show notes available on our website.

In this special interview, we chat to author Nina Kenwood, who has been working in books and publishing for over a decade. Her first novel, It Sounded Better in My Head, won the Text Prize and other awards. Our interview focuses on her new book, Unnecessary Drama, which was published in October 2022.We chat about sharehouse living, difficult family relationships, and the transition to adulthood. Nina shares insights into her inspiration, storyteling, and writing anxious characters.You can find Nina via her Instagram, Twitter or website.Find Novel Feelings via: Our website Instagram Twitter Goodreads.Detailed show notes available on our website.

In this special podcast episode, we chat to the author of Sadie Starr's Guide to Starting Over: Miranda Luby, award-winning author, freelance journalist, copywriter and communications professional. Sadie Starr is her debut novel. We chat about perfectionism, disordered eating, and performative social activism. Miranda shares insights into her inspiration, writing process, and thoughts around how we write about mental health. You can find Miranda on her website, Twitter and Instagram. Our website: www.novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

In this special interview, we chat to Graeme Simsion, the internationally bestselling author of The Rosie Project trilogy, The Best of Adam Sharp, The Novel Project, and more. We chat about the impact of The Rosie Project, and representation of autism across the series. Graeme shares insights into his writing process, his upcoming projects, and thoughts around how we write about mental health. You can find Graeme on his website and his Twitter. Our website: www.novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

Well, 2021 has certainly been a year. We're still on hiatus, but popping up to say 'hey, we read some cool books this year!' In this special bonus episode, we each present our Top 3 books of the year (plus some honourable mentions). This episode is spoiler-free and the books aren't specific to mental health! Website: www.novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

Welcome to the last episode of Season 2. We had such a wonderful time putting this season together. In this episode, we reflect on the process of recording the season, and talk about our favourite moments. After this episode, we will be going on a hiatus, and we're not planning on returning for a Season 3 at this stage. We're not going away completely though! We will still have opinions on books and mental health reps, so we are planning to continue posting our reviews on our blog. We will also keep our social media active. So keep us in your feeds and hopefully we can come back for Season 3 one day. Our website: http://novelfeelings.com  | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings  

What does it mean when a monster shows up at your window? For our final review episode of Season 2, we discuss A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness with special guest, author Mat Larkin. We talk about the stages of grief, middle grade tropes, surprisingly therapeutic monsters, and all the feels! Our website: http://novelfeelings.com  | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings | Find Mat Larkin via https://matlarkin.com/ 

In this special episode, we chat to Kay Kerr, author of Please Don't Hug Me and the newly released Social Queue. Topics include: autism representation, Kay's writing processes for both of her books, and self-care. We also discuss Please Don't Hug Me in spoilery details in the second half of the episode (we'll let you know when this starts!). Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings | Find Kay Kerr and her books through kaykerr.com

What can you do when you feel disconnected from your family, and your culture? Darius is a 'fractional Persian', and speaks better Klingon than Farsi. And his first trip to Iran is about to change his life. In this episode, we chat about Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram. We discuss what causes and maintains depression, cultural understandings of mental illness, and reflect on the role of medication. Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

Would you run for prom king/queen? There is nothing Liz Lightly would like less, but she's willing to do whatever it takes to win a scholarship, even if it means facing her fear of the spotlight. With special guests, Hallie and Allie from the Read It, Next podcast, we chat about anxiety representation, cute romance, and the importance of seeing Black protagonists experiencing joy. We also chat about/get educated about prom culture. Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter: @novel_feelings | goodreads.com/novel_feelings | Find Read It, Next via readitnextpodcast.com or Instagram @readitnextpodcast

How much do you really know about your parents? In Kelly Loy Gilbert's Picture Us in the Light, Danny Cheng grapples with the mysteries of his family's past, a tragedy in his friendship group, as well as the possibilities in his future. Along with our guest, Wendy Chen, we discuss the portrayal of grief following a suicide, intergenerational trauma, and the costs of defining yourself by your achievements. Our website: www.novelfeelings.com | Our Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings | Wendy's blog: writteninwondersite.wordpress.com | Lit CelebrAsian litcelebrasian.wordpress.com

Portia Hobbs, 'perpetual hot mess', meets Tavish McKenzie, gruff Scottish swordsman. Sparks fly, and self-discoveries abound. We discuss the book's portrayal of ADHD and how this experience can impact on a person's self-beliefs. We also chat about positive female friendships, difficult family dynamics, and (of course) the central romance. Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

How can you stay safe when there's a serial killer on the loose? Can you be best friends with someone you met online? Cry Blue Murder tells the story of two teenagers who exchange emails after shocking murders devastate a community. We don't have all the answers, but we can talk about the anxiety and grief that might be present after a crime in schools and the wider community. We also talk briefly about trauma, and nitpick some details about the mental health issues and diagnoses presented. Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

What would life look like if you only focused on the things that bring you pleasure? Noni Blake is about to find out. This episode, we are joined by Shelby from the Chub Rub Book Club podcast to discuss body image, anxiety, and the joys of prioritising yourself. We love the sex positivity and portrayal of self-care in this book, but acknowledge the privilege required to uproot your life to focus on your own wellbeing. Our website: www.novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings Find Chub Rub Book Club via www.chubrubbookclub.com or on Instagram @chubrubbookclub

CW: suicide. Welcome to Season 2 of Novel Feelings! We're kicking things off with Thirteen Reasons Why, a book associated with a lot of controversy. We talk about the book's portrayal of suicide and why it makes us uncomfortable. Discussion topics also include bullying, sexism, and the lack of mental health support in the story. As an exciting bonus, we chat to researcher Dr Fincina Hopgood about the controversies and cultural impact of the Netflix adaptation. Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

This final episode of Novel Tropes (for now) focuses on a trope we're passionate about - passionately against, that is. Yep - it's bad therapy. From the mind reading therapist to therapist-client affairs, from the funny to the damaging, we discuss why these tropes are problematic. Warning: rants ahead! Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

Our second entry in Novel Tropes, our mini-series, focuses on the 'people with mental health issues are violent' trope. Elise puts on her researcher hat and discuss the stats about this relationship in real life. We also chat with Anna Ross, a PhD candidate whose research focuses on reducing stigma towards severe mental illness through improved media reporting. Tune in for our recommendations on how writers can do better. Hint: we want to see less of this trope in general, tbh. Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings | Find Anna Ross on Twitter: @Anna_Ross_

Introducing our new mini-series: Novel Tropes is all about taking a closer look at tropes involving mental health issues in fiction. This episode, we discuss a trope often found in romance storylines: commitment issues. Can attachment theory shine light on the complexity of these issues? Also, we have some thoughts about a recent and very popular example of this trope: Bridgerton.   Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

How do you help some who seems determined to push you away? Join Elise for a bonus (solo) review of A Court of Silver Flames, the latest book by Sarah J Maas in the Court of Thorns and Roses series. This novel follows Nesta, sister of Feyre, as she recovers from multiple traumas in a fantasy setting. Topics include rage, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and the many faces of PTSD. Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

This month, we welcome a very special guest! We chat to author Wai Chim about her book, The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling. Topics include: writing about mental health issues in Asian families, flawed but well-intentioned characters, introvert representation, and self-care. The first half of the episode is spoiler-free (we let you know when the conversation gets spoiler-y!). Our website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings | Find Wai through waichim.com or @onewpc

We are kicking off 2021 with a bonus episode! This episode is all about getting back into reading, setting goals, and smashing them. We discuss a bunch of different ideas, including those that have worked for us. Hint: it’s not just about the number of books you read! Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

We're pretty keen to say goodbye to 2020, but before that happens, we wanted to spend some quality time rambling about other books - not just those that are mental health-specific. In this special spoiler-free bonus episode, we each present our Top 3 books of the year (plus some honourable mentions) and reflect on our experience putting Season 1 together. We also talk about a potential Season 2, and other exciting things! Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

It's our Season 1 finale and, guess what? We break the first rule of Fight Club! Fight Club, by Chuck Palahniuk, follows a man suffering from insomnia. He meets a strange man named Tyler Durden; the two bored men form an underground club and fight other men who are fed up with their own mundane lives. In this episode, we discuss arguably the best-known portrayal of dissociative identity disorder in fiction, and what it gets right and wrong. Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

What if the things you remember never happened? More importantly, what if no one believes your version of events? We discuss Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein, a fascinating YA psychological thriller. Small Spaces follows Tash Carmody who has has been traumatised since she witnessed her imaginary friend, Sparrow, lure a child away from a carnival. We discuss stigma, gaslighting, trauma, and the impact of bad therapy. Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

Can you practice romance? Stella thinks so. In this episode, we talk about The Kiss Quotient, by Helen Hoang. It tells the story of Stella, an econometrician with Asperger’s, who decides to hire Michael, an escort, to teach her intimacy and romance. We discuss Autism Spectrum Disorder, the relationship between core beliefs and miscommunication, and the importance of being a decent human.   Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

Even faeries experience trauma. This episode is all about the novel A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas. ACOMAF explores what happens after a brutal experience for Feyre, human-turned-fae. We discuss post-traumatic stress disorder in a fantasy setting, signs of a healthy (or potentially unhealthy) relationship, and a lot of angsty faeries.  Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings 

Just as there is power in a good dumpling, there is power in good representation. Today we're reviewing The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling, by Wai Chim. We discuss Anna's experience of caring for a family member with mental health issues as a first-generation Asian Australian; the trajectory of recovery; and what a guidance counsellor should NOT say to a student. Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

It's our debut review episode! In the words of Aza Holmes: the problem isn't losing your mind; it's that it's inescapable. In this episode, we cover John Green's 2017 novel Turtles All the Way Down. We discuss ever-tightening thought spirals, common therapy approaches for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and what recovery can look like.  Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings

Welcome to Novel Feelings! In this quick episode, we introduce ourselves, talk about how Novel Feelings was born, and give you an idea of what to expect in future episodes. We also take a very scientifically accurate quiz to learn which fictional book characters describe our personalities.  Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings | Also take the Buzzfeed book quiz: bzfd.it/2Ill30f

Novel Feelings is a podcast where two psychologists and book nerds discuss representations of mental health issues in fiction, one novel at a time. Season 1 launched November 15 2020. Website: novelfeelings.com | Twitter, Instagram and Goodreads: @novel_feelings