Thoughts from a Page Podcast

In this interview, I chat with Travis Kennedy about ⁠⁠⁠The Whyte Python World Tour⁠, his inspiration for this book, creating Rikki Thunder, what surprised him as he wrote this one, screen adaptation plans, determining when during the Cold War to set the book, his research, and much more. Travis's recommended reads are: The Savage, Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron Currie Jr. Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live by Susan Morrison The Boys of Riverside by ⁠Thomas Fuller Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip of your choice or ⁠⁠for a set price here⁠⁠ via credit card with over 60 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     ⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Whyte Python World Tour⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Hazel Gaynor about ⁠⁠Before Dorothy, why this story appeals to everyone not just The Wizard of Oz fans, The Wizard of Oz book is celebrating 125 years, how she was a fan of the book first, the title and cover, why she chose the setting she did, and much more. Hazel's recommended reads are: Elphie by Gregory Maguire The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip of your choice or ⁠for a set price here⁠ via credit card with over 60 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠⁠. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     ⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Before Dorothy can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Karen Dukess about ⁠Welcome to Murder Week, writing a mystery versus standard fiction, her trip that inspired this book, the popularity of BritBox mysteries, what surprised her the most, and much more. Karen's recommended reads are: The Original by Nell Stevens Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide ⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a tip of your choice or for a set price here via credit card with over 60 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠⁠. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     ⁠Welcome to Murder Week⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Renée Ahdieh about Park Avenue, crafting the Park siblings, exploring the Korean American immigrant experience, writing her first adult novel and how it differed from writing YA, the symbolism of the Birkin bag for Jia, the story of her stunning cover, and much more. Renée's recommended reads are: Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide  ⁠here⁠⁠⁠ with over 60 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Donate to the podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Park Avenue⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Ali Brady about Battle of the Bookstores, the You've Got Mail inspiration, writing the steamy scenes, creating a guy who loves romance novels, using Beta readers and how that impacted the original ending, choosing character names, and much more. Bradeigh's recommended reads are: Digging Dr. Jones by Olivia Jackson Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka Alison's recommended reads are: The Last Letter of Rachel Ellsworth by Barbara O'Neal Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley The Favorites by Layne Fargo Looking for some great summer reads? Check out my printable 18-page Summer Reading Guide  ⁠here⁠⁠⁠ with over 60 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this summer - books you will not see on other guides. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Contribute to the podcast ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠on Venmo⁠⁠. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Battle of the Bookstores⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the May Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past, and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  The Grand Paloma Resort by Cleyvis Natura When the Wolf Comes Home by Nat Cassidy Now: Four Mothers by Abigail Leonard Silver Elite by Dani Francis Next: Far & Away by Amy Poeppel Sunburned by Katherine Wood DNFs or Didn't Like: Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson Book Mail Highlights: Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey   Cindy's Selections: Last: Tilt by Emma Pattee Matriarch by Tina Knowles Now: Conform by Ariel Sullivan  Hunger Like a Thirst: From Food Stamps to Fine Dining, A Restaurant Critic Finds Her Place at the Table by Besha Rodell Next: The One and Only Vivian Stone by Melissa O'Connor  The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon DNFs or Didn't Like: Gracie Harris Is Under Construction by Kate Hash  Book Mail Highlights:  Friends with Words : Adventures in Languageland by Martha Barnette  The Midnight Hour by Eve Chase   Interested in each of our Summer Reading Guides? Grab Kelly's here and Cindy's here. You will add so many great books to your TBR from both lists. We have very little overlap so check them both out! Donate to the podcast here or on Venmo. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Kristy Woodson Harvey about ⁠⁠⁠⁠Beach House Rules, deciding on a format for telling the story, finding the right title for this one, what surprised her the most about writing this one, why she chose a white collar crime and her reasearch on the subject, and much more. Kristy's recommended reads are: Happy Land by Dolen Perkins Valdez The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel Listen to the Friends and Fiction Fifth Anniversary Episode. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Beach House Rules⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Annabel Monaghan about ⁠⁠⁠It's a Love Story, her inspiration for this book, writing sex scenes, creating Jane's character, reader response to Jane, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Annabel's recommended reads are: Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez⁠ Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess Far and Away by Amy Poeppel Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     It's a Love Story⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Mary Alice Monroe about ⁠⁠⁠Where the Rivers Merge, setting the book in the ACE Basin, writing a duology, her love of the land and its ecosystems, crafting a strong sense of place, writing her first historical novel, her title and cover, and much more. Mary Alice's recommended reads are: The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry The Alchemist by Paolo Coehlo Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Where the Rivers Merge⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Judith Viorst about ⁠⁠⁠Making the Best of What's Left, living the fifth fifth of your life, dealing with loneliness and redefining happiness, what surprised her the most when writing this one, her cover, the importance of community, reader response, and much more. Judith's recommended reads are: Avid Reader by Robert Gottlieb The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     ⁠⁠⁠⁠Making the Best of What's Left⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠⁠Buzz Reads⁠⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my articles about ⁠⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠⁠ and Gifting Books for Mother's Day. Connect with me on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Elisabeth Dini about ⁠⁠Bearer of Bad News, the idea of a bearer of bad news, what surprised her the most when writing this one, how she settled on the format, honoring real women through her character names, her job at the International Criminal Court and how it informed the story, and much more. Elisabeth's recommended reads are: Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton I Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie Sue The Expert of Subtle Revisions by Kirsten Menger-Anderson Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     ⁠Bearer of Bad News⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠Buzz Reads⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends & Fiction authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, Kristy Woodson Harvey, and Patti Callahan Henry join me to chat about celebrating their fifth anniversary. We discuss how the group formed originally, centering independent bookstores on their platform, impact of Friends & Fiction on their writing, how inclusive they are, how they handle disagreements, and more. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠Buzz Reads⁠ column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about ⁠older protagonists in fiction⁠.     Connect with me on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Threads⁠⁠.  Friends & Fiction links: Subscribe to their PODCAST. Subscribe to their YOUTUBE channel. Join their FACEBOOK group. Follow them on INSTAGRAM. Find details about everything F&F on their WEBSITE. Shop their MERCH STORE. Find out about their LIVE EVENTS. Join the F&F Official BOOK CLUB with Brenda & Lisa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the March's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby  Now: The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb This American Woman: A One-in-a Billion Memoir by Zarna Garg Next: The Midnight Estate by Kelly Rimmer The Other Side of Now by Paige Harbison  DNFs or Didn't Like: Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor The Marigold Cottage Murder Collective by Jo Nichols Book Mail Highlights: Mean Moms by Emma Rosenblum  Abigail and Alexa Save the Wedding by Lian Dolan   Cindy's Selections: Last: My Friends by Fredrik Backman Valley So Low: One Lawyer's Fight for Justice in the Wake of America's Great Coal Catastrophe by Jared Sullivan Now: Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection by John Green The Names by Florence Knapp Next: The Passengers on the Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa All the Glimmering Stars by Mark Sullivan  DNFs or Didn't Like: Aftertaste by Daria Levelle  Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston  Book Mail Highlights:  A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais  The Last Assignment by Erika Robuck   Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly ⁠Buzz Reads⁠ column with five new recommendations each month.  Join my ⁠Patreon⁠ group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found ⁠here⁠.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on ⁠Instagram⁠. Connect with me on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠, and ⁠Threads⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Virginia Evans about ⁠The Correspondent, how her blurbs helped her encapsulate the book's description, the role Ann Patchett has played in her life, Sybil's story arc, her lengthy cover story, the power of human connection, and much more. Virginia's recommended reads are: The Boy From the Sea by Garrett Carr The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page ⁠2025 Winter Reading Guide⁠ with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in June - October of 2025? Check out our fourth ⁠Literary Lookbook⁠⁠ ⁠which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Correspondent⁠⁠ can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.  Looking for something new to read? Here is my monthly Buzz Reads column with five new recommendations each month. Link to my article about older protagonists in fiction.     Connect with me on ⁠Instagram⁠, ⁠Facebook⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠, and ⁠Threads⁠.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Kristin Koval about Penitence, why she decided to write about forgiveness, choosing who would tell the story, tackling such a difficult topic, her stunning cover, how the book's title was chosen, and much more. Kristin's recommended reads are: Elita by Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum God of the Woods by Liz Moore Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Penitence can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in January through March 2025. Our shared top reads: Dead Money by Jakob Kerr  Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson  Kelly's remaining top reads: More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall  Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy  The Favorites by Layne Fargo  Dream State by Eric Puchner  Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley  The Snowbirds by Christina Clancey  The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens  The Mother Next Door by Andrea Weber and Mike Weber  Seeking Shelter by Jeff Hobbs  Cindy's remaining top reads: The Unexpected Diva by Tiffany L. Warren  In Gad We Trust by Josh Gad  What Happened to the McCrays? by Tracey Lange  Head Cases by John McMahon  Beartooth by Callan Wink  Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister Follow Me to Africa by Penny Haw  Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (I mistitle this one in the episode- I was clearly having a moment) Dissolution by Nicholas Binge Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Joanna Miller about The Eights, creating a strong sense of place, how she decided to write this book, her focus on the small details, including the Timeline, Glossary, and Author's Note at the end of the book, her covers and all of the meaning in them, incorporating eights throughout the book, and much more. Joanna's recommended read is Mere by Danielle Giles. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Eights can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the second quarter of 2025. Pamela's selections: April: I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney May: Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins Shop Girls by Jessica Anya Blau The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough June: The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark Far and Away by Amy Poeppel Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross Making Friends Can Be Murder by Kathleen West Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess Battle of the Bookstores by Ali Brady  Mary's selections: April: The Seven O'Clock Club by Amelia Ireland Rabbit Moon by Jennifer Haigh The Edge of Yesterday by Rita Woods The Guilt Pill by Saumya Dave The Correspondent by Virginia Evans May: Austen at Sea by Natalie Jenner My Friends by Fredrik Backman The Red House by Mary Morris The Love Haters by Katherine Center Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle June: How to Lose Your Mother by Molly Jong-Fast Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Support the podcast by joining my Patreon.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Twitter.  Mary's social media handles: Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Twitter. Pamela's social media handles: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Belinda Bauer about The Impossible Thing, the world of rare bird egg collecting, how hard it was to find information on this subject matter and why, how she characterizes the book, the title and cover, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Belinda's recommended reads are: There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafuk Tommy the Bruce by James Yorkston Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Impossible Thing can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the March's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  Too Old for This by Samantha Downing The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Now: Notes on Infinity by Austin Taylor Beach Reads and Deadly Deeds by Allison Brennan Next: Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb DNFs or Didn't Like: The Compound by Aisling Rawle Book Mail Highlights: Everyone is Lying to You by Jo Piazza  The Marigold Cottage Murder Collective by Jo Nichols Cindy's Selections: Last: Let's Make a Scene by Laura Wood  Park Avenue by Renee Adhieh  Now: Murder at Gulls Nest by Jess Kidd  June in the Garden by Eleanor Wilde  Next: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff  My Friends by Fredrik Backman  DNFs or Didn't Like: Inner Space by Jakob Szamalek   Hazel Says No by Jessica Berger Gross   Book Mail Highlights:  The Summer We Ran by Audrey Ingram  Our Last Vineyard Summer by Brooke Lea Foster     Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbookwhich contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Elise Hooper about The Library of Lost Dollhouses, how she decided to write about dollhouses, her great-grandmother's dollhouse and what it has taught her, her focus on women lost to history, her research for this novel, connecting timelines together, her title and cover, and much more. Elise's recommended reads are: Tartufo by Kira Jane Buxton Storybook Ending by Moira McDonald California Dreamers by Amy Mason Doan Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Library of Lost Dollhouses can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Nicholas Binge about Dissolution, coming up with his stellar ending, his writing process, pursuing how memory works and what loss of memory can do, balancing the science fiction elements with storytelling, the love story at the heart of the book, his title and cover, and much more. Nick's recommended reads are: Playground by Richard Powers There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Dissolution can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Shara Moon about Let Us March On, highlighting an unsung heroine, her research, bringing Lizzie McDuffie to life, deciding what and what not top include, what surprised her the most when writing this one, and much more. Shara's recommended reads are: Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan Becoming by Michelle Obama Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Let Us March On can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Patti Callahan Henry about The Story She Left Behind, the real life inspiration for this book, exploring how humans deal with the unknowing, digging up literary themes, including Beatrix Potter, how she determined who would tell the story, her title and cover, and much more. Patti's recommended reads are: Playworld by Adam Ross Go As a River by Shelley Read The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Story She Left Behind can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Chloe Dalton about Raising Hare, why she decided to write this memoir, her relationship with Hare, how her habits and lifestyle changed as a result of this relationship, our interactions with wild animals, what she learned from these experiences, her working relationship with Angeline Jolie, and much more. Chloe's recommended reads are: The Women by Kristin Hannah The Future by Naomi Alderman The Glass Maker by Tracy Chevalier The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Raising Hare can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Gillian McAllister about Famous Last Words, subverting the standard thriller tropes, her writing process and how she deletes her entire first draft after she writes it, setting a book in the publishing world, taking a hostage negotiation course, and much more. Gillian's recommended read is Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra. Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Famous Last Words can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the February's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell Now: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri The Names by Florence Knapp Next: What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown The Compound by Aisling Rawle DNFs or Didn't Like: None Book Mail Highlights: Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin The Girls Who Grew Big by Leila Mottley Cindy's Selections: Last: The Safari by Jaclyn Goldis The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner Now: Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes by Sandra Jackson Opoku The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully Next: The Names by Florence Knapp I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney DNFs or Didn't Like: The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso Book Mail Highlights:  The Harvey Girls by Juliette Fay Story of a Murder: The Wives, the Mistresses and Dr Crippen by Hallie Rubenhold   Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Penny Haw about Follow Me to Africa, how and why she decided to write about Mary Leakey, writing about a real person, drafting a dual timeline story, creating a fictional character to help tell Mary's story, a strong sense of place, and much more. Penny's recommended reads are: The Trial of Mrs. Rhinelander by Denny S. Bryce The Kennedy Girl by Julia Bryan Thomas Happy Is the One by Katie Allen Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Follow Me to Africa can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Marianne Cronin about Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love, her interesting inspiration for the book, intergenerational friendships, writing her sophomore novel, what surprised her the most about writing this one, why she selected a charity shop for Eddie's job, Eddie's new wardrobe, and much more. Marianne's recommended reads are: Sandwich by Catherine Newman The Divorcees by Rowan Beaird Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Callan Wink about Beartooth, his inspiration for this story, Hazen's name and how he chose it, Hazen's character, his process for writing this book, creating a strong sense of place, his thoughts on the title and cover, and much more. Callan's recommended reads are: The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien Prayer for the Dying by Stewart O'Nan Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Beartooth can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Jakob Kerr about Dead Money, his inspiration for this story, how his work in the tech industry informed this book, how thriller stories follow the money, his writing process, focusing on character development, and much more. Jakob's recommended reads are: Longmire by Craig Johnson What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Dead Money can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Renee Rosen about Let's Call Her Barbie, the story of how Barbie came to be, why Barbie looks like she does, what Renee couldn't include, the editing process, her title and cover, and much more. Renee's recommended reads are: The Lost Passenger by Frances Quinn The Many Lives and Loves of Hazel Lavery by Lois Cahall Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Let's Call Her Barbie can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the January's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  Any Trope But You by Victoria Lavine Penitence by Kristen Koval Now: The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke Dream State by Eric Puchner Next: Our Last Resort by Clemence Michallon The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett DNFs or Didn't Like: The Antidote by Karen Russell Book Mail Highlights: Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang Cindy's Selections: Last: Penitence by Kristin Koval  Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q Sutanto  Now: Let Us March On by Shara Moon  On the Grid: Life Behind the Scenes of F1 by Luke Smith Next: Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey  DNFs or Didn't Like: The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard  Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue by Buddy Levy Book Mail Highlights:  Hang on St Christopher by Adrian McKinty  Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle   Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my 2025 Winter Reading Guide and Kelly Hook's Winter Books. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast. Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Tracey Lange about What Happened to the McCray's?, her personal inspiration for this story, reader response to her books, the book's release date, how guilt can overtake us, forgiveness, her title and cover, and much more. Tracey's recommended reads are: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker Penitence by Kirstin Koval Such Kindness by Andre Dubus III Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     What Happened to the McCray's? can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Karissa Chen about Homeseeking, the interesting way she landed on the format for this book, her research, how the trauma of war impacts citizens, the way she handles language in this book, names and they can change over time in certain cultures, and much more. Karissa's recommended reads are: The Lost Boy of Santa Chionia by Juliet Grames We Lived on the Horizon by Erica Zwyler What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo The Sense of Wonder by Matthew Salesses Looking for some great winter reads? Check out my printable 17-page 2025 Winter Reading Guide with 45 new titles vetted by me that will provide great entertainment this winter. I also include mystery series recommendations, new releases in a next-in-the-series section and fiction and nonfiction pairings. Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Homeseeking can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Fiona Davis about The Stolen Queen, how she came up with the ideas for this one, her research in Egypt and at the Metropolitan Museum of Art including the behind-the-scenes storage areas, focusing on women lost to history, her title's multiple meanings, her stunning cover, and much more. Fiona's recommended reads are: By Any Other Name by Jodi Picoult The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Stolen Queen can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the December's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore  Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney Now: Deep Cuts by Holly Blakely  Bluebird Day by Megan Tady  Next: Blood and the Badge: The Mafia, Two Killer Cops, and a Scandal That Shocked the Nation by Michael Cannell  More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova DNFs or Didn't Like: The Fisherman's Gift by Julia R. Kelly  Book Mail Highlights: The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang Flirting With Disaster by Naina Kumar  Cindy's Selections: Last: The Siege: A Six-Day Hostage Crisis and the Daring Special-Forces Operation That Shocked the World by Ben Macintyre  Splinter Effect by Andrew Ludington  Now: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall  Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks  Next: The Bird Hotel by Joyce Maynard  The Blessing Way by Tony Hillerman  DNFs or Didn't Like: Maya and Natasha by Elyse Durham Book Mail Highlights:  The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark  The Impossible Thing by Belinda Bauer     Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, the Book Bumble podcast and Thoughts from a Page come together for a joint episode about books contain a strong sense of place. Featured Books: The Lost Man by Jane Harper (CB) Homecoming by Kate Morton (CB) The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer (LH) Celine by Peter Heller (LH) The Ancients by John Larison (LP) Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy (LP) Book In Hand: Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton (CB) Books Mentioned in This Episode: Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Whiskey When We're Dry by John Larison The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer The Survivors by Jane Harper The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley The Instrumentalist by Harriet Constable American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis Home Before Dark by Riley Sager The Last Ranger by Peter Heller Birdie and Harlow by Taylor Wolfe Additional Books That Go Along with Our Stack: The Dog Stars by Peter Heller Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger  A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Akmaral by Judith Lindbergh Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson Bear by Julia Phillips The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill Jane Harper Books - The Dry, Force of Nature, Exiles Kate Morton Books - The Clockmaker's Daughter, The Forgotten Garden, The House at Riverton This Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock The Great Transition by Nick Fuller Googins Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Ways to contact us: Follow us on Instagram - @thebookbumble and @thoughtsfromapage Facebook: Book Bumble and Thoughts from a Page Our website: https://thebookbumble.buzzsprout.com and thoughtsfromapage.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Webber O'Malley and Pamela Klinger-Horn join me to recommend their favorites reads of the first quarter of 2025. Pamela's selections: January: The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova Too Soon by Betty Shamiah The Favorites by Layne Fargo February: A Long Time Gone by Joshua Moehling Tilda Is Visible by Jane Tara Isola by Allegra Goodman March: Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry The Jackal's Mistress by Chris Bohjalian April: A Lesser Light by Peter Geye Mary's selections: January: Let's Call Her Barbie by Renee Rosen The Three Lives of Cate Cay by Kate Fagan The Lotus Shoes by Jane Yang Penitence by Kristin Koval February: Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks A Forty Year Kiss by Nick Butler People of Means by Nancy Johnson The Snow Birds by Christina Clancy The Lamb by Lucy Rose March: Saving Five by Amanda Nguyen The Other March Sisters by Linda Epstein, Ally Malinenko and Liz Parker Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Support the podcast by joining my Patreon.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Twitter.  Mary's social media handles: Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Twitter. Pamela's social media handles: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kelly Hooker and I discuss our top reads of 2024. Our Top Shared Reads: First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston  We Used to Life Here by Marcus Kliewer Kelly's Remaining Selections:   Mercury by Amy Jo Burns Everyone but Myself by Julie Chavez Drinker of Ink by Shannon Castleton Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame by Olivia Ford Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Trafficking by Jason De Leon  How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley Same as it Ever Was by Claire Lombardo All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker God of the Woods by Liz Moore The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella The Best Lies by David Ellis The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey The Sing Sing Files by Dan Slepian The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston Cindy's Remaining Selections: Family Family by Laurie Frankel The Queen of Sugar Hill by ReShonda Tate Dixon Descending by Karen Outen The Women by Kristin Hannah Whiskey Tender by Deborah Taffa The Husbands by Holly Gramazio Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin How to Read a Book by Monica Wood Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy When Women Ran Fifth Avenue by Julie Satow The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd The Wedding People by Alison Espach The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley Eddie Winston Is Looking for Love by Marianne Cronin Honorable mention: Maria by Michele Moran Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jayda Justus recommends books for gift giving this holiday. Her recommendations: Favorite Fiction: Maria: A Novel of Maria von Trapp by Michelle Moran  What the Mountains Remember by Joy Callaway  Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear  Evelyne Redfern series by Julia Kelly  Shogun by James Clavell The Turtle House by Amanda Churchill London or New York by Edward Rutherfurd  A Woman of Intelligence by Karin Tanabe  Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner  Presidential or First Lady history buff: The Official White House Christmas Ornament: Collected Stories Of A Holiday Tradition by White House Historical Society  Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women by Diana B. Carlin, Anita B. McBride, and Nancy Kegan Smith Jackie: A Novel by Dawn Tripp  The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt: The Women Who Created a President by Edward O'Keefe  Classics lovers: Anne of Green Gables or Pride and Prejudice illustrated by Barbara Heller Anne, Little Women, and The Secret Garden by Rachel Dodge Christmas with Louisa May Alcott or Christmas with Charles Dickens Christmas books: Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini  Mr. Dickens and his Carol by Samantha Silva  Always, in December by Emily Stone  Historical cooking: Eat Like a Heroine by Lorilee Craker and Jenny Williams  Tasting History by Max Miller  Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Jayda can be found on her website and Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Marybeth about Every Moment Since, the inspiration for this book, her book dedication, society's current obsession with true crime, changing agents due to writing this book, how she chose who would tell the story, pouring her heart and soul into this one, her title and cover, and much more. Marybeth's recommended reads are: The Devil at His Elbow by Valerie Bauerlein What in the World?! by Leanne Morgan Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     Every Moment Since can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Kelly and I chat about our favorite books that published in July through early October 2024. Our shared top reads: The Wedding People by Alison Espach  We Solve Murders by Richard Osman  The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen Loigman Kelly's remaining top reads: The Same Bright Stars by Ethan Joella  Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne The Best Lies by David Ellis  Worst Case Scenario by T.J. Newman  The Axeman's Carnival by Catherine Chidgey  The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston  Exposure by Ava Dellaira  The Sing Sing Files by Dan Slepian  The Small and The Mighty by Sharon McMahon  Cindy's remaining top reads: May the Wolf Die by Elizabeth Heider The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood The Family Experiment by John Marrs The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu Maria by Michelle Moran Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza and Emily Harding The Lightning Bottles by Marissa Stapley The Lantern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiiragi The Fabled Earth by Kimberly Brock Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.      Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Elly Griffiths about The Man in Black, how this group of short stories came into being, her favorite story in the collection, what surprised her the most when writing them, how the stories are ordered, her covers in the U.K. and the U.S., her work in translation, and much more. Elly's recommended reads are: One Perfect Couple by Ruth Ware Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter? by Nicci French Babel by R. F. Kuang Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Man in Black can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the November's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  The Favorites by Layne Fargo  A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison Now: The Dollhouse Academy by Margarita Montimore  The Dark Hours by Amy Jordan  Next: The Fisherman's Gift by Julia R. Kelly  The Quiet Librarian by Allen Eskens  DNFs or Didn't Like: The Garden by Nick Newman  The Family Inside by Katie Garner Tilt by Emma Pate Book Mail Highlights: All The Water in the World by Eiren Caffall Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch Cindy's Selections: Last: Good Dirt by Charmaine Wilkerson Nesting by Roisin O'Donnell  Now: Harlem Rhapsody by Victoria Christopher Murray Vanishing Treasures: A Bestiary of Extraordinary Endangered Creatures by Katherine Rundell  Next: The Library of Lost Dollhouses by Elise Hooper  We Will Be Jaguars by Nemonte Nenquimo DNFs or Didn't Like: Eden Undone by Abbott Kahler  Mask of the Deer Woman by Laurie L. Dove The Other People by C.B. Everett We Are Watching by Alison Gaylin The Note by Alafair Burke Book Mail Highlights:  We Rip the World Apart by Charlene Carr  Murder Among the Pyramids by Sara Rosett    Literary Lookbook information: Want to know which new titles are publishing in May - October of 2024? Check out our second Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.  Our third Literary Lookbook will be out at the end of October. Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Sy Montgomery about What the Chicken Knows, her title and cover, why she loves chickens so much, what she wants her readers to take away from this book, how each flock has its own vibe, and much more. Sy's recommended reads are: Playing Possum: How Animals Understand Death by Susana Monso Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     What the Chicken Knows can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Marissa Stapley about The Lightning Bottles, her musical muses for Jane and Elijah, including a road trip component in her story, how she approached writing about the drug use of the era, determining who tells the story and why she chose who she did, and much more. Marissa's recommended reads are: Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout How to End a Love Story by Yulin Kuang Want to know which new titles are publishing in January - May of 2025? Check out our third Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.     The Lightning Bottles can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For today's episode, I am running a Chapters and Chats conversation with Chris Whitaker about All the Colors of the Dark. Chapters and Chats is run by Kelly of @kellyhook.readsbooks and Ivana of @beachesbooksnbubbles. You can contact either one of them to be added to their list for a particular chat. Check out their Instagram accounts to learn more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Kirsty Greenwood about The Love of My Afterlife, how popular the romance genre currently is, romance tropes and including them in her book, her favorite trope, her U.S. and U.K. covers, being selected as the GMA July pick, the screen adaptation, and much more. Kirsty's recommended reads are: Under Your Spell by Laura Wood How to End a Love Story by Yulia Huang Join my Patreon to support the production of my podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.    The Love of My Afterlife can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this interview, I chat with Lynda Cohen Loigman about The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern, the familial inspirations for this book, her title and stunning cover, including humor into the narrative, how hard she worked to get her characters' voices right, the research she conducted, The Thursday Authors, and much more. Lynda's recommended reads are: The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo The Wedding People by Alison Espach Four Squares by Bobby Finger Join my Patreon to support the production of my podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.    The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern can be purchased at my Bookshop storefront.      Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kelly Hooker joins me for the October's Real Time Reading episode where we highlight our current, past and upcoming reads. Kelly's Selections: Last:  Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister Now: Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley  The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon Next: The Family Inside by Katie Garner One Good Thing by Georgia Hunter DNFs or Didn't Like: Isola by Allagra Goodman  Clever Little Thing by Helena Eschlin Book Mail Highlights: The Trouble Up North by Travis Mulhauser  The Snowbirds by Christina Clancey   Cindy's Selections: Last: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman Rental House by Weike Wang Now: Eden Undone by Abbott Kahler  The Oligarch's Daughter by Joseph Finder Next: Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret by Benjamin Stevenson Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn  DNFs or Didn't Like: The Way by Cary Groner  The Mesmerist by Caroline Wood Book Mail Highlights:  Jane and Dan at the End of the World by Colleen Oakley  The Mesopotamian Riddle: An Archaeologist, a Soldier, a Clergyman, and the Race to Decipher the World's Oldest Writing by Joshua Hammer  Literary Lookbook information: Want to know which new titles are publishing in May - October of 2024? Check out our second Literary Lookbook which contains a comprehensive but not exhaustive list all in one place so you can plan ahead.  Our third Literary Lookbook will be out at the end of October. Join my Patreon group to support the podcast.  Other ways to support the podcast can be found here.     Connect with Kelly Hooker on Instagram. Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Threads.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices