Podcasts about tbr

In this episode, we're opening the Flavor Town gates! In this eleventh installment of Flavor Town, we're taking on our listeners' spiciest book-themed takes. From controversial opinions about beloved genres to reading habits that should maybe stay private, there's enough literary chaos to scorch your TBR list. Plus, we get Erin's real-time reaction to some heartbreaking news.Relevant links: Our full show notes are at knoxandjamie.com/647Rewind: Flavor Town episodes | Shop Bundle | Instagram PostIn Memoriam: Robert Duvall | IMDb | Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry | Final Message | Erin's SpreadsheetMentions: Fanfic Episode | Dramione Spreadsheet | Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman | Sunday Night Lights | The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky | The Curious Notoriety of “Performative Reading” (via The New Yorker) | Faith Adjacent Romance Novels Episode Newest residents: @katiestrout, @meagks11, @wifeofataxidermist, @madison_hambino, @ashleystartin, @kristi.brokaw Congrats to our new Mayor: @cheyenneomans and Deputy Mayor: @simplygiannRed Light Mentions: Pima County, Arizona | Obama on Brian Tyler Cohen | “Wuthering Heights” (see also: 7-day free trial to hear more on TMYK | Alison Oliver) Green Lights:Jamie: book - Reign & Ruin by J.D. Evans Knox: book - The Stalker by Paula BomerBonus segment: Join us on Patreon to listen ad-free and get exclusive weekly and monthly content. Episode sponsors: Quince | Aura Frames (code: POPCAST) | Olive & June | Leesa (code: POPCAST) | Bombas (code: POPCAST) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Karma and Chaos, Kail and Becky kick things off after a failed first recording attempt and immediately spiral-from learning that moose shed their antlers to snowstorm stress and “emergency heat” confusion.Then the conversation turns real: why more people are using AI for sensitive health questions, what kids actually need to learn about boundaries and self-worth, and why speaking up about humanity shouldn't be controversial. Plus a quick bookish moment for your TBR and an “Is it Karma or is it Chaos?” story that proves traveling with middle schoolers is its own kind of punishment.To submit an Is It Karma Or Is It Chaos story email us at info@karmachaospodcast.comShop merch hereFor full videos head to patreon.com/kaillowry Follow Becky at Hayter25 and subscribe to For The HaytersThank you for supporting the show by checking out our sponsors! ARMA: We've worked out a special offer for my audience! Receive 30% off your first subscription order. Go to armra.com/CHAOS or enter CHAOS to get 30% off your first subscription order.Hiya: For 50% off their best selling children's vitamins head to hiyahealth.com/KARMA.Wildgrain:Wildgrain is offering our listeners $30 off your first box - PLUS free Croissants for life when you go to Wildgrain.com/KARMA to start your subscription today.RO: Go to ro.com/karma for your free insurance check. That's ro.com/karma to see if your insurance covers GLP-1s for free.Tempo: Tempo is offering our listeners 60% your first box! Go to tempomeals.com/karmaSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"!Welcome to Your Next Great Read! This month, Hannah and J are joined by bookseller Dani Terrell from Only One Bed Book Truck - a mobile romance bookstore built around a 1968 Ford truck!Plenty of thriller, scifi, and romance recs to help you build your TBR!Connect with Dani: website | Instagram | FacebookConnect with Hannah: website | Twitter | Instagram | TikTokSign up for the Read LOKal NewsletterHuge thanks to Self Publish Me for sponsoring this episode! Books Discussed on the Show:DaniMoms of Mayhem - Amy Vance Heir of Illusion - Madeline TaylorIn Stormy Weather - Chelsea CurtoThe Deal (Off Campus Book 1) - Elle Kennedy  HannahMy Husband's Wife - Alice Feeney The People We Meet on Vacation - Emily Henry A Killing Cold -  Kate Alice MarshallA Walk to Remember - Nicholas SparksJConsider This: Moments in My Writing Life After Which Everything Was Different - Chuck PalahniukThe End of the World Running Club - Adrian J. WalkerEverybody Wants to Rule the World - Ace AtkinsSaga - Brian K. Vaughn and Fiona StaplesConnect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookShop the Bookcast on Bookshop.orgMusic by JuliusH

It's February in The Reading Lounge and we stepping into the world of romance. Bitter Sweet by Hattie Williams is a story of obsession and bad choices set in the world of book publishing. Listen in to find out if you should add this novel to your TBR list. We've waved goodbye to dry January and are toasting this read with an appropriately named cocktail.The Illicit Affair1 1/4 oz. Vodka1 1/3 oz. orange juice1 1/3 oz. cranberry juice2 dashes orange bittersShake all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with an orange slice. Enjoy!

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Eric F Goldstein, author of the book Taught. As a middle and high school teacher, Eric Goldstein founded the Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization, One World Education. Through programs that teach writing skills through social justice, the organization has transformed more than 65,000 students into writers with voice, knowledge, and purpose. Inspired by two decades of listening to students tell their stories, Eric's debut novel, TAUGHT, released in January 2026.   In my book review, I stated Taught is a contemporary literary fiction that follows a teacher and a former student on a week-long journey. However, this journey is not something either one planned.   Jerry Brown's life is a mess. He's likely to lose his job as a teacher. He and his wife are having issues. And Malik, a former student, is beat by police during a protest. He decides to go camping and write graduation letters to his students. But before he gets out of town, Malik shows up. So, they leave together.   This is not a fast-paced story, but one where the back stories leak out slowly and deliberately. We see Jerry doubting himself as a teacher and husband. We see Malik doubt himself as a student and friend. Both doubt whether they can live up to the title of 'man'. And, as the reader, we feel the pain.   Race plays a huge role in the story, allowing us to glimpse lives we might not otherwise experience - and allowing us to ask the hard questions. Is racism real? Is it everywhere? Do people experience a stop in a backwoods gas station differently depending on their skin? And, more importantly, what can - or should - we do about it?   I definitely suggest this one for your TBR.   Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1   Join the Novels N Latte Book Club community to discuss this and other books with like-minded readers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3576519880426290   You can follow Author Eric F Goldstein Website: www.onelongroad.com IG: @ericfgoldstein   Purchase Taught on Amazon: Paperback: https://amzn.to/3NilBFl   Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1   Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors   #ericfgoldstein #taught #contemporaryfiction #literaryfiction #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you were to do a reading audit of the last year or two of reading, what would it look like? Do you spread your reading across various genres, or do you stick to just one or two? Conducting a reading audit can help notify which genres are missing from your TBR and which genres are surprise favorites for you—all of which helps with your writing. In this episode of the Writer's Digest Presents podcast, managing editor Moriah Richard is in conversation with editor Michael Woodson about what conducting a reading audit did for her—how it revealed to her a new favorite sub-genre, how it has helped her writing, and more.

On this episode, Nicole Abrahamson, Off Color Book Club Member, talks about her extremely varied reading life that is inspired by the idea of trying anything once. We also talk about the importance of talking about why you might not like a book and she drops a ton of titles that you might want to add to your TBR.    Books mentioned in this episode:    What Betsy's reading:  Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte  The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy  There, There by Tommy Orange    Books Highlighted by Nicole: East of Eden by John Steinbeck  The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough  The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini  The Plot Against America by Philip Roth The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah  Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin  Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy  Babel by R.F. Kuang Freedom by Jonathan Franzen  Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad   All books available on my Bookshop.org episode page.   Other books mentioned in this episode: Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr  Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr  About Grace by Anthony Doerr The Most Fun We Ever Had by Clarie Lombardo  Same As It Ever Was by Claire Lombardo The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang  Yellowface by R.F. Kuang Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros  Only Plane in the Sky by Garrett M. Graff  The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell  Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte  Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen  Lost Children Archive by Valeria Luiselli

The Boom Room 599 Broadcast date February 14th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 599 Broadcast date February 14th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 599 Broadcast date February 14th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

As Christians, we don't have to be afraid of books that don't match our faith.But sometimes? It's really nice to read stories we can enjoy without compromise.After the huge response to my recent episode on SFF Books That Don't Hate Christianity, you all flooded the comments with recommendations. So today I'm back with FIVE ranked sections of Christian-friendly fantasy and sci-fi — from lesser-known gems to major Christian SFF staples, to surprising TBR discoveries… and even a few big-name titles I'm honestly embarrassed I didn't mention last time.From The Wingfeather Saga and Ted Dekker's Circle Series, to A Canticle for Leibowitz, The Holy War, The Dresden Files, and many more — this list spans centuries, genres, and styles.Whether you're looking for explicitly Christian fiction or stories that simply take faith, morality, and redemption seriously, there's something here for you.We love all kinds of SFF here at Fantasy for the Ages. But today's episode is about the ones where you don't have to tilt your head at 30% to find the beauty.

Our first guest of Week of Love 2026 is officially here! And who better than to have the lovely Sydney Applegate (whom we interviewed for the first time two years ago during our first ever Week of Love on Day 2!)? hosts: sam blocher and isa wilder guest: sydney applegatefollow Sydney on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Follow Sydney on⁠⁠ Goodreads⁠⁠ and⁠⁠ Amazon⁠⁠ — where you can find all of her books and add them to your TBR and buy them!Everywhere you can find Sydney!Website: https://www.sydneyapplegate.com/Substack: https://substack.com/@sydneyapplegateTalk wordy (Apple Pods): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talk-wordy/id1833302972Talk wordy (Spotify): https://www.youtube.com/@TalkWordyPod Talk wordy (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@TalkWordyPod  follow us on socials for some sneak peeks, teasers, and great content! sam: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@thesamlouiseb⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠isa: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@isabela.wilder⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Likewise on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Likewise on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠support likewise :-)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

From late-night reading marathons to the chokehold of enemies to lovers, this episode is a love letter to stories that feel too much. I'm joined by BookTok creator @Landry_Reads to talk about reading habits, iconic book tropes, romance dynamics, and why storytelling makes us believe in love, even when it's fictional. We get into why tension matters, how tropes shape emotional payoff, and what makes a romance unforgettable. Warning: this episode will add at least five books to your TBR.

On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: Kaytee's San Francisco bookstore adventure and Meredith's Wolf Hall slow read Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: Boss My TBR - helping two listeners prioritize their reading stacks Before We Go: our new segment featuring bookish friend posts and TBR triage Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site). .  .  .  :10 Bite Size Intro 1:04 - Currently Reading on Youtube 2:39 - Bookish Moments of the Week 3:13 - City Lights Bookstore 5:00 - Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel  5:35 - Footnotes and Tangents 07:53 - Current Reads 8:01 - History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook (Kaytee) 11:18 - Sarah's Bookshelves Live 11:52 - Sphere by Michael Crichton (Meredith) 14:21 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton 15:58 - The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton 16:02 - Timeline by Michael Crichton 16:15 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon 16:34 - Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb (Kaytee) 22:12 - The Sleeper Lies by Andrea Mara (Meredith, Blackwell's link) 24:01 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara 26:11 - Someone in the Attic by Andrea Mara 26:12 - The Other Side of the Wall by Andrea Mara (Blackwell's link) 26:54 - The Dutch House by Ann Patchett (Kaytee) 28:25 - CR Season 2: Episode 22 when Kayytee first brought The Dutch House 29:20 - Commonwealth by Ann Patchett 31:48 - Tom Lake by Ann Patchett 33:30 - Snap by Belinda Bauer (Meredith) 37:30 - Boss My TBR 38:11 - Gretchen's Stack For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain Bride by Ali Hazelwood A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers Gilded by Marissa Meyer 39:29 - Field Day Books and Bottles 39:35 - Cannon Beach Book Company 43:09 - Lauren's Stack I, Medusa by Ayana Gray Meet the Newmans by Jennifer Niven Fear and Fury by Heather Ann Thompson Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinniman 44:26 - Fabled Bookshop 44:49 - Blood in the Water by Heather Ann Thompson 48:32 - Before We Go Meredith highlights bookish friend posts from the Facebook group 50:08 - Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson 50:13 - On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder 51:39 - Nothing Much Happens podcast 52:57 - Currently Reading Patreon 53:14 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots 53:39 - Timeline by Michael Crichton Kaytee's TBR Triage: Kaytee brings a book that has been on her TBR for a long time and decides whether to keep and read, or remove from her TBR. 54:28 - The Sinister Booksellers of Bath (Foyles link) 54:31 - Foyle's 54:56 - The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix (Foyles link) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's list is a special romance curated list from Open Door Romance, The Novel Neighbor's Romance adjacent bookstore in Plainville, MA. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

The Boom Room 598 Broadcast date February 7th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 598 Broadcast date February 7th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 598 Broadcast date February 7th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

Suggest a book for the podcast or say hello! ❣️ Valentine's Day is coming up, so what better time to talk about romantic couples who just happen to solve mysteries. I explore the enduring appeal of romantic detective pairings, breaking down why mysteries with relationship arcs and witty banter keep fans turning the pages. You'll hear how opposites attract, expert/novice combos, and slice-of-life moments bring these stories to life.Get a curated tour through time, from Victorian Egypt to 1920s drawing rooms to modern art heists, as I share my list of couples—from Amelia Peabody and Radcliffe Emerson to Nick and Nora Charles. Add a few titles to your TBR stack and see how dynamic duos make whodunits twice as intriguing.Get a printable PDF of the list here. 

This week on From the Front Porch, it's a New Release Rundown! Annie, Erin, and Olivia share the February releases they're excited about to help you build your TBR. When you purchase or preorder any of the books they talk about, enter the code NEWRELEASEPLEASE at checkout for 10% off your order! To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 567) or download and shop on The Bookshelf's official app: Annie's Books: This Is Not About Us by Allegra Goodman So Old, So Young by Grant Ginder More Than Enough by Anna Quindlen Olivia's Books: Warning Signs by Tracy Sierra Birdy by N West Moss PostScript by Cory McCarthy Erin's Books: Good People by Patmeena Sabit The Reservation by Rebecca Kauffman A Good Animal by Sara Maurer From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf's daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today's episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.  A full transcript of today's episode can be found here. Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.  This week, Annie is reading Homeschooled by Steffan Merrill Block. Olivia is reading Detour by Jeff Rake and Rob Hart. Erin is listening to  Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser. If you liked what you heard in today's episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch. We're so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week. Our Executive Producers are...Ashley Ferrell, Beth, Cammy Tidwell, Gene Queens, Jammie Treadwell, Joseph Shorter IV, Kimberly, Linda Lee Drozt, Nicole Marsee, Stephanie Dean, and Wendi Jenkins.

Everyone loves a masquerade, where one gets to be someone completely different – at least until the clock strikes midnight. In this season opener, the questions of who we are, who people see us as, and who we'd like to be start early, as one magical evening kicks off a series of events that are sure to turn the Ton a-tizzy. Benedict is a rake, Sophie is a servant, and somehow Lady Whistledown is still a main character. It's season four, and we're about to go downstairs. Featuring: - So many servants - Definitions of a rake, definitions of self - Finding the right person - Introducing the boy diamond - Big villain energy - Curiosity, fascination, surprise - A Cinderella story Here are is the media we talk about in this episode: - An Offer from a Gentleman, a book by Julia Quinn - Romancing Mr Bridgerton, a book by Julia Quinn - Bridgerton, a television series - Jodi's WWDD episode on virginity - Jodi's WWDD episode on romance series - The Consummate Virgin by Jodi McAlister - The Duke and I by Julia Quinn - When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn - It's in His Kiss by Julia Quinn - Lord Byron - Heated Rivalry, a television adaptation - Queen Charlotte, a mini-series - Queen Charlotte, a WWDD special episode featuring Maxine Beneba Clarke - Cinderella, a fairytale - Joan of Arc - A Midsummer's Night Dream, a play by William Shakespeare - The Princess Bride, a film by Rob Reiner - Cleopatra - Marc Antony - Zeus - ‘Life in Technocolour', a song by Coldplay - ‘Masquerade', a song from The Phantom of the Opera, a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Bachelor, a reality TV show - The Bachelorette, a reality TV show ‘ DJ Got Us Fallin' in Love', a song by Usher - ‘Never Let You Go', a song by Third Eye Blind - Wicked, a musical by Stephen Schwartz - Ever After, a film by Andy Tennant Some extra notes: - Both Mrs Wilson and John the Footman have been regulars since season one - The Queen is dressed as the Queen of Hearts at the masquerade Our guest host this episode is the seriously smart, seriously sassy Jodi McAlister. You can hear more from Jodi by following her on instagram and tiktok and by reading her latest novel, An Academic Affair. For your TBR, Jodi has recommended Power Moves by Leesa Ronald. Jodi says the characters ‘sprang to life' for her and called the book ‘compelling'. Don't forget you can find us on facebook @bridgertonpod and instagram and bluesky @wwddpod and join the conversation using the hashtag #WWDDpod. Please follow us on your favourite podcast provider! Leaving a 5-star rating and a review will not only help us find more listeners, but also help you find joy and beauty in your world. This episode was recorded on the traditional and unceded land of the Kaurna, Wurundjeri and Boonwurrung people. Our editor is Ben McKenzie of Splendid Chaps Productions. If you need production work completed, you can find them here: splendidchaps.com

Send us a textOur 2025 Reading Wrap Up 2.0 is here in all of its spoiler free glory! We're giving you our one sentence star and spice rating for every book we read from July to December of last year, so get your pad and pencil out to add to your TBR… or to cross some things off… depending on how you look at it. We're bringing you over 100 book reviews and then going over our yearly bookish goal recap from 2025 and reset for 2026.First and foremost, we want to thank each and every one of you for coming along with us on this amazing podcast journey. As we go over our bookish goals of 2025, we realize that we were able to cross SO MANY off the list because of you, like interviewing dream authors, reaching 1k on YouTube, and doing four bonus series! We've already accomplished one big one of 2026: moderating author panels at RomantasyCon! We hope to meet even more of our reading and podcast goals this year so we can continue bringing you fun content, and we know we will because of our book besties.

The Boom Room 597 Broadcast date January 31th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 597 Broadcast date January 31th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 597 Broadcast date January 31th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

Do you enjoy your science fiction with humor, while still delivering big ideas, hard-SF concepts, action, and genuine heart?In this episode, I (Jim) dive into We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor, the first book in the wildly popular Bobiverse series. This is smart, funny, binge-worthy science fiction that asks huge questions about identity, AI, and what it really means to be human… even when you're technically a self-replicating space probe.After wanting to expand my sci-fi reading and hearing many of you recommend this series, a two-for-one Audible sale finally pushed this book to the top of my TBR. And let me tell you, I had so much fun that I immediately committed to reading the rest of the series in order. Time to binge, baby.In this spoiler-lite review, I talk about:• Why Bob Johansson is such a wildly relatable protagonist• How the clone/replication premise actually works• The balance of hard science and accessible storytelling• The humor, heart, and hopeful tone of the story• Who this book is perfect for — and who it might NOT work for• And why this is such a great entry point into modern science fictionIf you've been curious about the Bobiverse, or if you're looking for a sci-fi read that's both clever and incredibly fun, this might be exactly what you're looking for.⸻

Today, we are sitting down discussing a novel off of Sam's TBR called Conform! This novel made one of us feel nostalgic for the best reasons. Although one of us was completely lost with what was happening. Almost as lost as Sam was when she broke a door at work! We do want to mention that this podcast episode was pre-recorded, but we do want to mention that this podcast believes that everyone deserves safety, dignity, and the right to exist without fear. What Ice and the current adminstration is doing is disgusting. Our hearts go out to those in Minnesota and those who have been affected by what is happening. We stand with you.   About The Novel: In the far future, one young woman finds herself torn between two loves—and two sides of a rebellion boiling under the surface—in the first novel of a sweeping dystopian romance trilogy. Centuries after a catastrophic world war nearly decimated the human population, a city arose from the ashes, ruled by an elusive and technologically advanced group called the Illum. At twenty-seven, Emeline lives in limbo, wasting away her days in a job sorting ancient human art for destruction and waiting to be selected as a Mate for a procreation contract. Where others look forward to being chosen, Emeline has never felt like she fit into a society where a person's worth is determined by constantly monitored genes, health, and the ability to procreate. She's struggled to keep her discomfort secret, but when she is finally chosen, her Mate is revealed to be a member of the Illum named Collin, a man who seems to be harboring secrets of his own. It is the first time an Illum has taken a Mate in decades, leaving Emeline—and others—baffled as to why she was chosen. Soon, she is swept into the dangerous game of Courting, filled with ballgowns, lavish dinners, and watchful eyes, where one wrong move can mean elimination. While parts of this elite lifestyle are unexpectedly appealing, the more embroiled she becomes, the more she sees its dark underbelly—and a rebellion rising in secret. Collin is confusing, both cold and protective, and worse, she finds herself drawn to the very last person she should be falling for: Hal, one of the resistance leaders. As she draws closer to both Collin and Hal, the Illum exercise their power in increasingly brutal ways, forcing Emeline to question everything—most of all whether she'll have to give up her heart and even her life to stop them.   Wanna Check Us Out? Then Click Here!

New month, new books, and a very full TBR.

Welcome to Episode 252, where we share LISTENER TOP TEN READS of 2025! In past years, there hasn't been much of a spread between the first and second place books on the list. But this year there is a 15-point spread between the first and second books! As usual, the first-place book was a novel, but the second-place book was nonfiction—a first ever for that. Usually, nonfiction doesn't show up until well into the list's mid-teens. Thanks to everyone who shared their top tens– you help grow our TBR lists! Reminder that we have a Top 10 shelf on our Bookshop.org page for purchase and for you to learn more about each of the books. We also talk about our 2026 Reading Intentions. These are often works in progress, which is a good thing, because after recording, we both realized we had forgotten a couple of intentions. It had been a longer-than-usual time span since we last recorded a regular episode, so we had some catching up to do in our “Just Read” segment, which includes: BETH IS DEAD by Katie Bernet PRACTICAL MAGIC by Alice Hoffman A BACKWARD GLANCE by Edith Wharton BODYWORK: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos POSTMORTEM and BODY OF EVIDENCE by Patricia Cornwell THE AUTHOR WEEKEND by Laura Zigman (release date 5/5/2026) A TANGLE OF OBSIDIAN by Lydia M. Hawke THEO OF GOLDEN by Allen Levi We had some wonderful Couch Biblio Adventures, but we also managed to get out into the world. Emily visited Slackline Press in Branford, Connecticut, and Davoll's General Store in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, where she saw Catherine Newman in conversation with Emily Franklin. Chris was in Huntsville, Alabama, and visited The Snail on the Wall bookstore, named after Virginia Woolf's short story, “The Mark on the Wall.” She also checked out the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library. Happy listening, take care of yourself, and stay safe out there. Until next time, we wish you lots of Happy Reading!

Yup, I finally read part of a romance novel and watched two romance shows. Who am I in 2026?In episode #158 I announce some new forthcoming screen adaptations, we get a guest author book recommendation from Nalini Singh, author of Such A Perfect Family and I recommend five books to add to your TBR. Join me on Substack. Books Recommended:Such a Perfect Family Nalini SinghThe Midnight Taxi - Yosha GunasakeraThe Irish Goodbye - Heather Aimee O'NeillThe Infamous Gilberts - Anjela TomaskiOnly Son – Kevin MoffettIs This A Cry For Help? – Emily AustinThe Housemaid - Freida McFaddenSupport the showGet your Books Are My People merch here!I hope you all have a wonderfully bookish week!

The Boom Room 596 Broadcast date January 24th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 596 Broadcast date January 24th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 596 Broadcast date January 24th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text MessageYour reading list shouldn't be a source of guilt. It should be a lever for real change. We explore how to stop juggling half‑finished titles and start using one book to solve concrete problems in your work and life. Guided by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan's focusing question—What's the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else becomes easier or unnecessary?—we trade information overload for practical clarity.We break down a simple, repeatable habit that turns pages into progress: pick one priority area for the month, choose one book that directly speaks to it, block twenty to thirty minutes a day, and capture three essentials—one key idea, one example or story, and one small action you'll take within twenty‑four hours. This approach sharpens focus, reduces context switching, and transforms your reading from passive consumption into an active strategy for better decisions. Whether you're aiming at leadership, productivity, health, finances, or relationships, narrowing your attention unlocks outsized results.You'll hear how to set a weekly intention for your book, craft a daily plan you can actually keep, and use each chapter to influence a real decision you're facing right now. We share practical prompts, like shifting from “How can I read more?” to “What's the one thing I can do this week with this book to move forward?” The result is less noise, more clarity, and a reading life that compounds into measurable wins. If your nightstand and Kindle are overflowing, this is your invitation to commit, focus, and finish.If this helped you rethink your reading, follow the show, share it with a friend who's drowning in their TBR, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find us. Then choose your one book and tell us what you'll tackle this week.Key Points from the Episode:• go small to get extraordinary results• why most reading feels busy but changes little• the focusing question as a daily filter• choosing one book that fits your current season• a 20–30 minute reading block with intent• capture one idea, one example, one action• apply lessons to real decisions within a day• repeat one focus area, one book, one weekly intentionBe sure to check out our show page at teammojoacademy.com, where we have everything we discussed in this podcast as well as other great resourcesOther resources: Want to leave a review? Click here, and if we earned a five-star review from you **high five and knuckle bumps**, we appreciate it greatly!

We're back this week to discuss the George Saunders short story, "Victory Lap." (But not before a long intro on the NFL playoffs) We discuss the nuance of the story and give our thoughts on what Saunders is going for with this odd but powerful story. We end the episode with adding a new book to our TBR, this time we selected a favorite of ours, P.G. Wodehouse.*Also, I apologize for the coughing, and I never claimed to be a pro with the mute button.TBR Additions- Right ho, Jeeves by P.G. WodehouseContact Us:Instagram @therewillbbooksTwitter @therewillbbooksEmail ⁠willbebooks@gmail.com⁠Goodreads: Therewillbebooksko-fi.com/therewillbbookspatreon.com/therewillbbooks

It's time for a Stacks Unabridged favorite: Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026...at least the first half anyway. I'm once again joined by two of my favorite book people, Cree Myles (All Ways Black) and Sara Hildreth (Fiction Matters), to gush about the books we can't wait to dive into in the first half of the year, sharing our top picks month by month. Plus, we do a little post-mortem on 2025 and set some semi-realistic reading goals for 2026. Get your TBR lists ready—you'll have a lot of new additions.You can find links to everything we discuss on today's show on The Stacks Website: https://www.thestackspodcast.com/unabridged/2026/1/23/tsu-55-sara-hildreth-cree-myles*This episode is exclusive to members of The Stacks Pack on Patreon and our Substack subscribers. To join a community, get inside access to the show, and listen now, click the link below.Connect with Cree: Instagram | Twitter | All Ways Black | PatreonConnect with Sara: Instagram | Fiction Matters | Novel Pairings | SubstackConnect with The Stacks: Instagram | Threads | Shop | Patreon | Goodreads | Substack | Youtube | SubscribeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Author Lior Torenberg unpacks her debut Just Watch Me, a darkly funny livestream novel that exposes the cost of performing pain online, and our hunger to watch.Debut author Lior Torenberg joins us to talk about Just Watch Me, a bold, internet-shaped novel that unfolds over seven days of nonstop livestreaming. Together, we dig into what it means to write fiction rooted in our current digital moment, and why stories about performance feel so urgent right now.We talk about Torenberg's path from initial concept to publication, the realities of debuting with a formally inventive novel, and the creative risks of building a narrative around livestream chats, audience participation, and escalating dares. She also walks us through the choice to compress the story into a single week, and how that story structure intensifies both tension and intimacy.In this fun conversation, we explore:

This week on The Book Drop, your hosts Amy and Maggie are joined by Learning Librarian Emily Beasley to kick off the Reading Challenge with a discussion on the theme to read a book to boost your happiness! Emily submitted the theme idea, which was picked by OPL's collection development team.All the books and resources we talk about in this episode can be found here or by visiting omahalibrary.org/podcast.About the Reading Challenge: OPL's Reading Challenge is an annual program created to push you outside your comfort zone and into new literary realms. You can complete the challenge themes monthly or on your own timeline. When you finish, turn in your reading log at any branch for a prize. To find the entire 2026 Reading Challenge List, along with book lists of suggested titles for each theme, go to omahalibrary.org/reading-challenge or visit your nearest branch for a tracking booklet (available in English and Spanish).What's Happening at OPL:Mark Twain and The Gilded Age | Sunday, Jan. 25, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Genealogy & Local History Room Resources for Starting or Growing Your Small Business | Monday, Jan. 26, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Charles B. Washington BranchSeed Starting Indoors | Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Downtown BranchExplore all upcoming events at omahalibrary.org/events.Join the conversation for the next episode! Tell us what's the top of your TBR for 2026? Share your answers by email at thebookdrop@omahalibrary.org or DM on social media!

Rays Stadium looking for a New Edge in Tampa with HCCHillsborough Community College Board of Trustees approve MOU with RaysMOU is a non-binding framework to explore possibilities.Discussion of campus location and its proximity to:Raymond James Stadium (Buccaneers)Steinbrenner Field (Yankees)Amalie Arena (Lightning)Community reactions, faculty concerns & housing cost questions.180-day timeline for the Rays to return with details.Governor comments on infrastructure support (but not direct stadium funding)Why this site could help build a centralized Tampa sports district similar to Atlanta's BatteryTransportation, Development & Big-Picture VisionTraffic & parking comparisons vs. Tropicana FieldTransportation planning Innovation Edge concept & mixed-use development potentialBroader impact beyond baseball: events, tourism, NCAA tournaments, & international visibilityDifferentiating Tampa Bay from Orlando and other Florida destinations.Rays FanFest Block Party (Valentine's Day)FanFest to be held in the Parking Lot of the Tropicana Field outdoorsBlock Party - Free parking, block party atmosphere, and fan-player interaction.Favorite FanFest memories:  Player scavenger huntsPing-pong with Rays player Photo ops with Blake Snell & Tyler GlasnowFans will be excited to meet this year at FanFest: Gavin Lux, Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, Cedric Mullins, Steven Matz, Steven Wilson, Richie Palacios, & Justin Henry MalloyRays Roster & Player DevelopmentMore “team-centric” Rays rosterKen Waldichuk - Pitch mix comparisons to Garrett CleavingerTrade speculation: Johnny DeLuca, Taylor Walls, & White Sox connectionsMLB Free Agency & TradesCody Bellinger -  signs with the Yankees (5 years, $167M):Concerns about Cody's age, cost, & long-term value.Mets trade for Luis Robert Jr.:Younger, cheaper, high-upside moveRisk-mitigated contract structureWhy the Mets' move may age better than the Yankees'Yankees' roster flexibility and potential follow-up tradesHall of Fame TalkCongrats to: Andruw Jones, Carlos Beltrán, Jeff KentRare moment: 2 elite center fielders entering togetherLooking to 2027 ballot: Buster Posey, John Lester, Chase Utley. Bobby AbreuVote dynamics shift as names fall off the ballotMLB Parity & CBA DiscussionTim Dierkes' article: “MLB Parity Possible Without a Salary Cap” (MLB Trade Rumors) https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/author/tim-dierkes Why this matters heading into the next Collective Bargaining AgreementFinal ThoughtsRays expectations may be more grounded than in recent years—but opportunity remainsNew ownership energy, patience in baseball operations & long-term visionThe next 180 days could shape the future of baseball in Tampa BayJoin the conversation! Share your thoughts on the Rays, the stadium talks, FanFest, and MLB parity. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review BaseballBiz On Deck wherever you listen.Rays Up!Like & subscribe to BaseballBiz On Deck.  You may also find BaseballBiz on Deck, on YouTube at iHeart Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, & at www.baseballbizondeck.com Also you can find Mat at M-A-T-G-E-R-M-A-I-N dot B Sky social. That's Mat at M-A-T-G-E-R-M-A-I-N dot B, Sky social or Mark at  Baseball Biz on Deck dot B Sky Social and BaseballBiz On Deck with Facebook.

What happens when an average guy suddenly inherits a global villain empire?Not metaphorically.Not “my boss is evil.”Actual secret lairs, corporate espionage, assassination attempts… and sentient cats who absolutely know more than they're telling.Today, I'm giving a spoiler-lite review of Starter Villain, a fast, hilarious, and surprisingly sharp novel from John Scalzi that blends spy-craft, corporate satire, and absurdist humor into one wildly entertaining package.In this episode, I cover:• Why the premise works far better than it has any right to• How Scalzi turns villainy into a workplace comedy• Why the cats are a genuine highlight (and mildly terrifying)• What kind of reader will love this book—and who might not• Why this was the perfect read right before the new Dresden Files novel droppedI was laughing out loud again and again, and this one instantly pushed more Scalzi books higher up my TBR.Have you read Starter Villain yet?Are you team “Never Trust the Cats”?Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

New year, new additions to our TBR! We spoke with some of our bookish pals about the 2026 releases they're most excited about. Great recommendations ahead!   Olivia's Picks Missing Me by Ayana Lage (Out March 17) Whidbey by T Kira Madden (Out March 10)   Grant Ginder's Picks George Falls Through Time by Ryan Collett (Out January 20) Big Nobody by Alex Kadis (Out March 10)   Brady Lockerby's Picks Dolly All the Time by Annabel Monaghan (Out May 26) Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (Out April 7)   Chelsea Devantez's Picks Phases: A Memoir by Brandy (Out March 31) You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate (Out March 3)   Katie Fulton's Picks This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page (Out February 3) The Top of the World by Ethan Joella  (Out June 30)   Sarah MacLean's Picks The Paris Match by Kate Clayborn (Out April 7) The Duke by Anna Cowan (Out April 28) Becca's Picks The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer (Out April 7) Dear Monica Lewinsky by Julia Langbein (Out April 14) Obsession Becca - The Traitors US   What We Read This Week Olivia - Vantage Point by Sara Sligar Becca - One & Only by Maurene Goo   January's Book Club Pick - Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino   Sponsors Cozy Earth - Head to cozyearth.com and code BOP for up to 20% off. Skims - Shop SKIMS Fits Everybody collection at http://www.skims.com #skimspartner   Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more!  Buy our Merch! Join our BFF Group! Preorder Olivia's Book, Little One, and order Such a Bad Influence! Subscribe to Olivia's Newsletter! Order Becca's Book, The Christmas Orphans Club! Subscribe to Becca's Newsletter!  Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviamuenter and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Send us a textIn this episode, I chat with Lovestruck Books owner and founder, Rachel Kantor. Rachel traces the thread from her years in classrooms and nonprofits to the moment she opened a shop that treats joy and access as serious cultural work. We dig into what it means to put the world's best-selling fiction genre at the center of an academic neighborhood and how that choice reshapes conversations about taste, representation, and who gets shelf space.Rachel shares the tightrope walk between mission and margin, revealing how a cafe and wine bar aren't add-ons but engines of community: inviting readers to linger, meet, and return. We explore the store's 75% romance focus alongside kids' books, general fiction, and targeted nonfiction—from memoir to sexual health and wellness—plus a slate of events that range from bestselling rom-com authors to a sold-out pelvic floor workshop and visits from award-shortlisted historians. The mix is intentional, reflecting a wide and lively demographic: students, professors, longtime locals, tourists, and readers across the gender and orientation spectrum.Representation sits at the center. We talk about the ongoing rise of queer love stories, poly relationships, Indigenous and BIPOC authors, and why fighting book bans and expanding access matter for a healthier literary ecosystem. Rachel offers gateway picks for skeptics, like Alice Hoffman's Practical Magic, alongside current obsessions in sports romance and romantasy, and she explains how recognition, like a member-voted Best Bookstore award, signals that community is choosing this model of joyful, inclusive culture. Join us to rethink what a bookstore can be, and to leave with a stronger, more curious TBR.If this conversation sparked a new read or reminded you why you love indie bookshops, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review—your support helps more listeners find the show.Support the showThe Bookshop PodcastMandy Jackson-BeverlySocial Media Links

We welcome in the new year with a full house today, Slushies, as we discuss two poems from Cal Freeman. The first poem's title glacier reminds Kathy of this year's epic snowfall in Juneau, Alaska (though it's forty inches, not forty feet, of snow). All that snow reminds Lisa of Boston's Vile Pile of snow that would not melt until July. Kathy deftly segues that memory back to our own slush pile. We admire Freeman's use of sonics in “Glacial Erratics” and the poem's subtle gestures towards relationship strife. We all agree we're stealing the poet's apt description of “overwrought craft beer.”    Since the second poem, “A White Bird,” is a classic Italian or Petrarchan sonnet, the discussion of iambic pentameter that ensues might be helpful to any teachers in the listening audience (as well as KVM's brother, Dave). Have a listen as we nerd out on meter. All the sonnet particulars lead Marion to admit what it is that gives her a secret intellectual boner.    We end with lots of fodder for your TBR pile. Listen through the end of the episode for everyone's recommended reads, linked below. As always, thanks for listening!   At the table: Dagne Forrest, Tobi Kassim, Samantha Neugebauer, Jason Schneiderman, Kathleen Volk Miller, Marion Wrenn, Lisa Zerkle, and Lillie Volpe (sound engineer) PBQ's Recommended Reads:   From KVM:  Lili is Crying by Hélène Bessette  Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell   From Jason: Little Rot by Akwaeke Emezi   From Sam: Flesh by David Szalay   From Dagne: When We Lost Our Heads by Heather O'Neill   From Tobi: Sally Rooney's novels Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space by Catherine Barnett Midwood by Jana Prikryl   From Marion: Nothingism: Poetry at the End of Print Culture by Jason Schneiderman Teaching Writing Through Journaling by Kathleen Volk Miller To learn to describe the animal by Guillermo Rebollo Gil   From Lisa:   Modern Life by Matthea Harvey Author Bio: Cal Freeman (he/him) is the author of the books Fight Songs (Eyewear 2017), Poolside at the Dearborn Inn (R&R Press 2022), and The Weather of Our Names (Cornerstone Press 2025). His writing has appeared or is forthcoming in many journals, including Atticus Review, Image, The Poetry Review, Verse Daily, Under a Warm Green Linden, North American Review, Willow Springs, Oxford American, Berkeley Poetry Review, and Advanced Leisure. He is a recipient of the Devine Poetry Fellowship (judged by Terrance Hayes), winner of Passages North's Neutrino Prize, and a finalist for the River Styx International Poetry Prize. He teaches at Oakland University and serves as Writer-In-Residence with InsideOut Literary Arts Detroit.    Instagram @johnfreeman5984 Photo credit: Shdia Amen Glacial Erratics I'm walking the rocks of mid-coast Maine and thinking about leaving, haze rolling in off Penobscot Bay nearly enveloping, but I can see my hands, swollen, red, silver ring in folds of skin. It's been five days of lobster, haddock, and overwrought craft beer. Sarah's in a nimbus on a bluff. I can't see her. These tidal patterns strand sponges and shellac seaweed to the stones. The tide's waning now, an hour past its peak. We arrived five days ago in a Tecnam T2012, in a two-prop puddle hopper. You get in the way you get out. I'm scared Cape Air will strand us in this fog. I don't want another day. You get in the way you get out unless you don't. An alabaster boulder rests at the foot of the bluff, a glacial erratic only special because of its geographical and visual context. Glacial errata, I thought I heard our tourist captain say, though Sarah corrected me. A glacial erratic's when the ice deposits stone of another realm to punctuate a scene in a distant future epoch– Sarah perched on a gunwale with a lighthouse at her back, the centenarian Cape Cod schooner they call the Olad meandering Penobscot Bay on a quiet afternoon in summer, and how I loved the way those seals on the Nautilus Island rock appeared to sweat (she said the song for our third decade should be “Me and You on the Rock”), their bellies gold as riesling in the sun. Their kind of torpor rests on the precipice of bathos and delight, their porcine bodies commas, long pauses between dips. At intervals they swim like dogs, like dogs they also growl, yet they dive with a gymnast's grace into the depths. A White Bird A rustic cottage on a kettle lake, shells of zebra mussels on the boat lift, a couple loons, a lone white bird adrift on combers in a pontoon boat's slow wake. Their time is short, they get what they can take. He reads a short story she wrote to sift for common nouns and proper nouns to lift for a poem. He settles on the drake and hen that dove their lithe bodies below and resurfaced a hundred yards away. Such secret lives of love, such dull regret. In the story, she says he cannot know what kind of bird they saw floating that day, as he insists it was the rare egret.

The Boom Room 595 Broadcast date January 17th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 595 Broadcast date January 17th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

The Boom Room 595 Broadcast date January 17th, 2026 For more TBR visit www.instagram.com/theboomroomofficial NEW : The Boom Room NON-STOP. No talking, just music! www.theboomroom.nl

This week on The Book Drop, we're looking back at some of our favorite moments here on The Book Drop. We had some great guests, delightful book recommendations and meaningful conversations!All the books and resources we talk about in this episode can be found here or by visiting omahalibrary.org/podcast. Happening at the Library: Writers Workshop: Tastes Like Home: The Unwritten History of Our Culinary Traditions | Saturday, Jan. 17, 1 to 3 p.m. at South Omaha Library Stories in Motion: Music and Movement Around the World | Tuesday, Jan. 20, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Benson BranchStart Your Genealogy at OPL (Virtual Program) | Thursday, Jan. 22, 5 to 6 p.m., Online eventExplore all upcoming events at omahalibrary.org/events.Join the conversation for the next episode! Tell us what's the top of your TBR for 2026? Share your answers by email at thebookdrop@omahalibrary.org or DM on social media!

Brea and Mallory discuss their most anticipated books for the start of 2026! Plus, they talk to Danika Ellis from Book Riot about their 2026 Read Harder Challenge! Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreThe Reading Glasses Book!Sponsors -Apron Notebookswww.apronnotebooks.comCODE: GLASSESGreenChefwww.greenchef.com/GLASSESGRAZACODE: GLASSESGRAZALinks -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupWish ListNewsletterLibro.fmTo join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership!www.maximumfun.org/join2026 Read HarderThe LesbraryDanika EllisRead Harder Newsletter Books Mentioned -Bright Young Women by Jessica KnollLove in Exile by Shon FayeJoy to the Girls by Rachael Lippincott and Alyson DerrickReally Cute People by Markus Harwood JonesLu and Ren's Guide to Geozoology by Angela HsiehJanuaryCall Me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu GuoLiterary fiction, feminist retelling of Moby DickThe Hitch by Sara LevineMagical realism, funny, woman trying to help nephew who is possessed by a dead corgiIs This a Cry for Help? by Emily AustinLiterary fiction, queer, lesbian, librarians fighting book bannersIf I Ruled the World by Amy DuboisLiterary fiction, late 1990s, hip hop, magazine industryScavengers by Kathleen BolandLiterary fiction, dysfunctional mother-daughter team looking for buried treasureThe Charmed Library by Jennifer MoormanMagical realism, books about books, small town, librarian protagonist, book magicThe Jills by Karen ParkmanThriller, Buffalo Bills cheerleader solving the murder of a fellow cheerleadersThe Unwritten Rules of Magic by Harper RossFantasy, magic typewriter, grief, three generations of women, family historyDandelion is Dead by Rosie StoreyContemporary romance, woman sets up a date on her dead sister's dating appThe Future Saints by Ashley WinsteadLiterary fiction, music executive trying to bring band back from the brink, sisters, friendshipLost Lambs by Madeline CashLiterary fiction, humor, family dysfunctionThe Old Fire by Elisa ShuaLiterary fiction, translated, family drama in a crumbling house in the French countrysideSheer by Vanessa LawrenceLiterary fiction, beauty industry, female mogul, secrets, queerHow to Commit a Postcolonial Murder by Nina McConigleyLiterary, historical, 1980s, murder mystery, Indian-American tween protagonist who murders her uncle but she blames it on the BritishThe Seven Daughters of Dupree by Nikesha Elise WilliamsLiterary, multi-generational epic family saga, secretsThe Last of Earth by Deepa AnapparaHistorical, 1800s Tibet, journey, Indian schoolteacher spying for the empire, English lady explorer disguising herself as a manThe Bookbinder's Secret by A.D. BellHistorical fiction, thriller, bookbinder finds confession hidden in a burned book and hunts a story of murder and loveWomen of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna EverhartHistorical fiction, 1940s North Carolina, a young woman subjected to involuntary medical treatment fights backMeet the Newmans by Jennifer NivenHistorical fiction, behind the scenes drama on a 1960s family sitcomNowhere Burning by Catriona WardHorror, Peter Pan inspired, gothic, two fleeing siblings find sanctuary at mysterious ranchDefinitely Maybe Not a Detective by Sarah FoxMystery, romcom, woman's fake detective agency accidentally hired to solve a real murderCross Your Heart and Hope He Dies by Jenny Elder MokeMystery, romcom, rich people behaving badlyAll the Little Houses by May CobbThriller, 1980s Texas, mean girls and mean moms, family secretMy Husband's Wife by Alice FeeneyThriller, mind-bending psychological marriage mysteryThe Storm by Rachel HawkinsThriller, Alabama, hurricane, old hotel, gothic, old murderMissing Sam by Thrity UmrigarThriller, queer, lesbian, missing wife, suburban dreadHumboldt Cut by Allison MickHorror, eco-horror, northern California, dark humor, bark monstersHollow by Celina MyersHorror, paranormal romance, romantasy, vampires, found familyOn Sundays She Picked Flowers by Yah Yah ScholfieldHorror, southern gothic, Georgia, ghosts, haintsA Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. JamesHorror, siblings returning to childhood home after being called by dead brotherThis House Will Feed by Maria TureaudHistorical horror, 1840s Ireland, haunted house, gothic, suspenseNine Goblins: A Tale of Low Fantasy and High Mischief by T. KingfisherYA fantasy, novella, humor, band of hapless goblins on a questA Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang by Lee Onhwa, translated by Slin JungFantasy, Korean, cozy, woman who inherits magical bakeryThe Poet Empress by Shen TaoRomantasy, epic fantasy, historical, hot evil prince, poetry magicThrough Gates of Garnet and Gold by Seanan McQuireNext Wayward Children bookWe Who Have No Gods by Liza AndersonRomantasy, witches, gothic, dark academia, magic academy, secret societiesGraceless Heart by Isabel IbañezRomantasy, historical, renaissance Italy, competition hosted by secret immortal familyThe Wolf and His King by Finn LongmanQueer retelling of Bisclavret the werewolf, historical, 12 century, court intrigueA Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn RodriquezRomantasy, tarot, magic, dark academia, enemies to lovers, forced proximityThe Book of Blood and Roses by Annie SummerleeRomantasy, sapphic, paranormal, vampires, mysterious universityThe Elsewhere Express by Samantha Sotta YambaoCozy fantasy, train that takes you to your life's purposeTwo Left Feet by Kallie EmblidgeQueer romance, MLM, contemporary sports romance, British premier league footballMost Eligible by Isabelle EngelContemporary romance, journalist sneaks onto a reality TV dating showThe Shop on Hidden Lane by Jayne Ann KrentzParanormal romance, romantic suspense, psychic dangers, warring paranormal familiesGreta Gets the Girl by Melissa MarrContemporary sapphic romance, forbidden romance, publishingThe Lust Crusade by Jo SeguraContemporary romance, librarian and archaeologist fake dating, Greek mythologyLast First Kiss by Julian WintersQueer romance, contemporary, MLM, second chance, rom comAin't Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Dolly Parton by Martha AckmannNonfictionThe Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King, and Princess Diana by Paul BurrellNonfiction, memoirFly, Wild Swans: My Mother, Myself, and China by Jung ChangNonfiction, memoir, three generations of womenThe Flower Bearers by Rachel Eliza GriffithsNonfiction, memoir, grief, death of a sister, friendship, marriageBlood Bible: An American History by DaMaris HillNonfiction, history, racism, slave trade history, national identity, personal identityWinter: The Story of a Season by Val McDermidCreative nonfiction, history of winter community events, ScotlandWhen Trees Testify: Science, Wisdom, History, and America's Black Botanical Legacy by Beronda L. MontgomeryNonfiction, history of Black botany through seven treesHalf His Age by Jennette McCurdyLiterary fiction, drama, age gap romance,Catch Her if You Can by Tessa BaileyRomance, contemporary, sports, baseball, marriage of convenienceVigil by George SaundersLiterary fiction, magical realism, eco-drama, dying oil CEOFruit of the Flesh by I.V. OpheliaHistorical fantasy, gothic romance, marriage of convenience, dark appetitesThe Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. KluneQueer thriller, MLM, 1990s, gay couple helping little girl with powersFootball by Chuck KlostermanNonfiction about footballCry Havoc by Rebecca WaitHistorical mystery, 1980s failing English boarding school, dark academia, funny, strange contagion among studentsHemlock by Melissa FalivenoLiterary, gothic, queer, woman investigating mother's disappearenceFebruaryLaws of Love and Logic by Debra CurtisLiterary fiction, love triangle - first love vs devoted husbandOne of Us by Elizabeth DayLiterary thriller, drama between old friends and wealth, murderEverything Lost Returns by Sarah DometLiterary fiction, historical, twin timelines, 1910s and 1980s, friendshipWhere the Wildflowers Grow by Terah Shelton HarrisLiterary fiction, fugitive hides out at rural Alabama flower farm, found familyBad Asians by Lillian LiLiterary fiction, friend group sagaI Hope You Find What You're Looking For by Bsrat MezghebeLiterary fiction, historical, 1990s Washington DC, Ethiopian immigrant communityThis Book Made Me Think of You by Libby PageLiterary fiction, woman receives books recommended by her dead husbandRoyal Spin by Robin Benway and Omid ScobieLiterary fiction, workplace drama inside Buckingham PalaceSuperfan by Jenny Tinghui ZhangLiterary fiction, popstar and his superfan collide, fandom, lonelinessBelgrave Road: A Love Story by Manish ChauhanLiterary fiction, two young immigrants in a forbidden romanceThis is Not About Us by Allegra GoodmanLiterary fiction, funny, multi generational family drama, griefRebel English Academy by Hanif MohammedLiterary fiction, Pakistan, political power, language, friendshipThe Secret of Snow by Tina Harnesk, translated by Alice MenziesLiterary fiction, elderly couple crosses paths with two twentysomethings and discovers surprising shared historyThe Renovation by Kenan OrhanLiterary fiction, woman discovers her bathroom has been remodeled into a prison cellMessenger Cat Cafe by Nagi Shimeno, translated by M. JeanMagical realism, cozy, cat in the afterlife who must deliver 5 messages to people on earth before he can see his beloved owner againA Crown of Stars by Shana AbéHistorical fiction, retelling of the last days of the LusitaniaThe Fourth Princess by Janie ChangHistorical fiction, gothic, 1910s Shanghai, crumbling mansion, secretsCleopatra by Saara El-ArifiHistorical fiction, retelling of Cleopatra's life from her POVBook of Forbidden Words by Louise FeinHistorical fiction, 1500s Paris, 1950s NYC, book banning, inspired by Voynich manuscriptThe Pohaku by Jasmi ‘Iolani HakesHistorical fiction, generations of women tasked with protecting Hawaiian historyA Slow and Secret Poison by Carmella LowkisHistorical Gothic thriller, 1900s England, young gardener at lush manor falls for her mysterious bossMurder Will Out by Jennifer BreedloveMystery, gothic, Maine, heartwarmingI'm Not the Only Murderer in My Retirement Home by Fergus CraigMystery, recently released from prison serial killer moves into retirement home when a murder happens and she has to prove she didn't do itDirty Metal by Allison LaMotheHistorical mystery, 1990s NYC, reporter investigating two huge storiesWolf Hour by Jo Nesbø, translated by Robert FergusonThriller, Minnesota, true crime, serial killer, secretsThe Final Problem by Arturo Perez-Reverte, translated by Frances RiddleHistorical mystery, locked room, 1960s Greek island resort, washed up actor turned detectiveHer Last Breath by Taylor AdamsThriller, two friends go on a cave expedition and one gets murdered!!!Murder Mindfully by Karsten Dusse, translated by Florian DuijsensThriller, lawyer finds peace through mindfulness and will do anything to protect it, even murderPinky Swear by Danielle GirardThriller, an expecting mother whose surrogate disappears days before birthThe Girls Before by Kate Alice MarshallThriller, search and rescue expert looking for missing womanPaper Cut by Rachel TaffThriller, woman infamous for escaping a cult as a teen has secrets that come back to haunt herMaria the Wanted by V. 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As it's the beginning of the year, we're talking about how we think about our reading years. What kind of strategies does Jen use? How is Sarah attempting to control the chaos? Which books do we already have on our TBR piles for 2026, and how do we structure our reading year to make ourselves happy and prepare for the podcast? We're also talking about some books by romance novelists who are publishing outside the romance genre this year.If you want to talk to more people about reading strategies this year, maybe you want to join our Patreon? You get an extra monthly episode from us and access to the incredible readers and brilliant people on the Fated Mates Discord! Support us and learn more at fatedmates.net/patreon.Our next read along will be Ruby Dixon's Ice Planet Barbarians (you're welcome). Get it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, your local indie, libro.fm, or with your monthly subscription to Kindle UnlimitedNotesVaccinations are good, actually. In between recording this episode and when it aired, Caroline Kennedy's daughter Tatiana Schlossberg, who wrote about her cancer diagnosis in the New Yorker, has sadly died.It will shock no one to learn that Jen learned about immunizations from books. In her childhood, the books The Great Brain by John Dennis Fitzgerald. We also recommend Everything is Tuberculosis by John Greene and On Immunity by Eula Biss.Amazon is forcing AI tools into the kindle books themselves, and it's all awful. Use your own brain, we don't know what else to say.BooksEverything is Tuberculosis by John GreenOn Immunity by Eula BissThe Paris Match by Kate ClaybornThe Romance Revival by Christina LaurenShe Fell...

In this episode of Fostering Conversations, host Amy Smith sits down with Terumi Sagers, TBRI Specialist for Utah Foster Care, longtime foster parent, and adoptive parent. Together, they unpack the foundations of Trust‑Based Relational Intervention (TBRI)—a relationship‑centered, trauma‑informed caregiving approach developed by Dr. Karen Purvis and Dr. David Cross. This conversation is filled with real‑life examples, practical tools, and compassionate insights for foster parents, kinship caregivers, educators, and anyone raising children—because, as Terumi explains, TBRI works for all humans, not just those with trauma backgrounds. Episode Summary Terumi shares her extensive experience fostering, adopting, and training caregivers for over 15 years. She explains the three core TBRI principles—Connecting, Empowering, and Correcting—and why trust must be rebuilt from a “negative starting point” for many children who enter care. You'll hear: How simple, consistent connection builds safety Why correcting behavior isn't effective until trust is established How sensory needs, movement, nutrition, and hydration affect behavior Practical examples caregivers can implement today Clear guidance on where families (foster or not) can access TBRI training This episode is a comforting mix of vulnerability, practical strategy, and hope for caregivers navigating the complexities of trauma‑impacted parenting. Guest Terumi Sagers TBRI Specialist, Utah Foster Care 20 years as a foster parent • Adoptive parent • Trainer and practitioner Key Topics Covered 1. What Is TBRI? A trauma‑informed parenting philosophy centered on trust‑building and relational connection. Originally developed for children with trauma histories, but now shown to benefit all children and even adult relationships. 2. Why Trust Starts Below Zero Children in care often enter new homes with trauma, loss, and disrupted attachment. Caregivers must focus on connection to help kids reach “zero” before growth can begin. 3. The Three TBRI Principles Connecting: Relationship‑building through presence, attunement, and positive interactions. Empowering: Meeting physical and sensory needs (movement, hydration, blood sugar, calm environments). Correcting: Teaching life skills and addressing behavior after safety and connection are in place. 4. Real‑World Examples A withdrawn teen reconnecting through daily small affirmations. A family eliminating after‑school meltdowns simply by offering protein snacks and water right after pickup. 5. Training Opportunities Utah Foster Care's 8‑class TBRI Caregiver Series (20 hours). Community resources including My Healing Home, Raise the Future, and online courses from TCU. 6. Becoming a TBRI Practitioner A rigorous process including 10 weeks of study, an intensive adult attachment interview, and a 5‑day immersive training. Resources Mentioned Books: The Connected Child and The Connected Parent by Dr. Karen Purvis Training: UtahFosterCare.org → TBRI Caregiver Series Community Providers: My Healing Home • Raise the Future Online Learning: TCU's TBRI 101 resources Notable Quotes “When you choose to become a parent, you choose how you spend your time. You can front‑load it with connection—or spend it all correcting.” “Our kids aren't starting at zero. They're starting at negative.” “Even as adults, we can keep using these principles to strengthen our relationships.” Learn More Visit UtahFosterCare.org to explore TBRI trainings, resources, and support opportunities. Transcript Episode 67: Trust-Based Relational Intervention Amy: On today’s episode, we’ll be talking to Terumi from Utah Foster Care about TBRI principles. This is a parenting strategy for anybody, parenting kids with trauma or anyone with kids in the home. Welcome to Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Amy Smith. Today we have as our guest, Terumi Sagers, who is the TBRI specialist for Utah Foster Care. Welcome, Terumi. Terumi: Thank you. Thank you for having me Amy: . So you are the specialist. You’ve been teaching for a while. Tell us a little bit about yourself. So listeners just have a little bit of background. Terumi: So my husband and I were foster parents for 20 years fostered and did respite for. A long time. We also adopted three of our four children from the foster care system, and I have been with Utah Foster Care for coming up on 15 years now, working on the training team. Amy: so you are more than qualified is what I hear. Terumi: I would hope so. Amy: I love that. That’s amazing. So tell us let’s just start from the beginning. What is TBRI? Terumi: So TBRI stands for trust-Based Relational Intervention and it is a parenting philosophy based out of research done by Dr. Karen Purvis and Dr. David Cross out of TCU. Amy: so I’ve taken the TBR trainings as a foster parent. Something I always wonder, I don’t. Know, so I’m asking is TBRI only for kids with trauma or can it be used to parent any type of child? Terumi: I love that question because when we first learned about it, it was in the context of working with kids that have experienced trauma or have had toxic levels of stress. But as the research has gone on. They have realized this works for all kids. This works in other relationships as well. And I have had families come through TBRI training and say, I don’t have any kids in my home, but I’ve been doing this with my coworkers, or I’ve been doing this with my spouse and this works everywhere. And I love that. The reality is, yes, it works everywhere with everyone. Amy: Yeah. And why is that? Maybe give us like a very small, I know TBRI is very intense and has so many layers, but can you give us like a little bit of a nutshell overview of what the basis of it is for listeners that maybe don’t know what it is. Terumi: So we go back to that name, trust-based relational intervention, that we build trust in relationships, and that helps us have influence on behaviors of others. And when we put that relationship at the forefront and connecting with people on a really basic level, they feel that safety with us, and it allows us to then empower them. It allows us to correct behaviors when we need to because they know they can trust us. Amy: Yeah. Some of the, the basic things that I remember when I took the training years ago or, or is when one of the. activities, during the training is they have a pretend hurt essentially, and you ask, where is your hurt? May I put a bandaid on it? And I, I think it really is so basic. You’re just doing these basic things of like you say. Building trust and with, especially with kids with trauma they don’t have that on any foundational level. And so starting with these really simple bandaid activities, makes them start being more comfortable and being able to trust their caregivers. Terumi: Yeah. When we think about trust, we tend to think starting maybe at zero and going forward, but our kids in care have had traumas to the level that you’re not starting at zero. You’re starting at negative. Amy: Yeah. That’s interesting. I hadn’t thought about that. Terumi: time to get to zero. And so all of these activities, all of the strategic things that were being very intentional about teaching are to get you to zero to then start going forward in that relationship. Amy: Yeah, and I think as a caregiver or a parent, that can be overwhelming because first of all, we want instant results, right? We want kids to just be amazing and trust us and obey and do everything. That would be amazing, but. And that’s just not reality for any child, but I think having that perspective of, you’re trying to even just get to zero, I think that’s a really good perspective for caregivers to think about. I had never thought about that before, so I really like that. Terumi: Yeah, when you have a baby that is born to you from the moment. Even in the womb, you are doing things that they learn to, Hey, this person’s taking care of me. I can trust and I’m safe. When a child just lands on your doorstep, they don’t know you. They don’t know. That you can be trusted in any way. And sometimes we forget that because we think everything that was in the past is in the past. But trauma doesn’t go away the moment they hit your doorstep. Amy: You just added another pile on actually. Terumi: This is an additional trauma Amy: Correct. Yeah. Terumi: now I’m living with. Hopefully if we’re able to find kinship providers, someone I know at least, otherwise, being placed on the doorstep of well-intentioned Total strangers. Amy: know I, when I explain foster care to people, I, I say, think of how many people you have. If you and your spouse were unavailable to take care for your kids. The list is probably long, right? Kids in foster care, literally there’s no list, so they’re coming to a stranger’s house and it is. Like still, to me it’s so mind boggling to think, wow, we have this many kids and this many adults really in the state of Utah and in the country that they have no one. And so their kids are going to strangers when they’re in a terrible situation. That’s really sad. Terumi: Yes. As hard as it is to be in that stressful situation, having someone you can count on helps buffer that stress and these kids. Haven’t had someone that could count on and in fact have been hurt in relationships where they should have been kept safe. Amy: Yeah. Terumi: And so it puts you again at that deficit below zero because moms aren’t necessarily safe or dads aren’t necessarily safe. And now I have a mom and a dad. I have no history that tells me I can trust them. Amy: Yeah. I remember the first night we got our now adopted daughter. She was 14 months and it was the middle of the night and a caseworker brought her in a car seat and I. Came outside, took her out of the car seat, carried her to my couch. She was filthy. I didn’t choose to bathe there right then. I was like, this poor kid is, going through a lot. So we, I just sat and held her, but it was so interesting because, she was tired and it was a lot, but that morning she would not let me hold her. She would let my husband hold her. She would let my kids hold her. But the mom figure it was a no. And it was so interesting, and it took a few days for her to be okay with me holding her. But really these kids do have barriers and things that have happened to them that they can’t trust the adult female figure, or they can’t, they’re scared, and you have no idea why. So it’s crazy. Terumi: And part of what we talk about with. TBRI and a lot of the trainings that we present to foster parents is about attachment and the attachment cycle and that you keep showing up, they will show you what their needs are and you keep showing up. What I love about TBRI is it’s not theoretical about what attachment is and how you build it. It is very practical. Do this, then do this. Amy: Yeah. Yeah, Terumi: And we still cover that overarching idea around attachment, but it’s very hands-on, very holistic, very practical. Amy: yeah. So tell us a little bit about the TBRI training that Utah Foster parents can participate in. Terumi: So we offer what is called the caregiver series, and it is a series of eight classes. They are two and a half hours each, so by the time you finish, you have 20 hours of training there has been a new curriculum that has come out in the last six months, and I love it because it not only takes those principles, but it does widen the audience of who this is available too, and it makes it more user friendly even than it was before. So we have nights where we’re talking about the brain and understanding the basics about , the brain a night about attachment. And then we go into what are called the principles. And there’s three principles of TBRI. We will spend two nights talking about connecting and building those relationships. We will spend two nights talking about empowering, and this is some of the structures that we put in place to help kids calm their bodies and to help our homes be safe and calm places for them. And then we. Spend two nights talking about correcting behavior. Now, if we’ve put in the time as parents, which is what I always tell parents, when you choose to become a parent, you will put in time and you get to choose how you spend your time. You can either front load it with a lot of connecting and a lot of empowering, or you can. Choose to do a lot of correcting. And in TBRI, we look at this as a pyramid that we want that foundation of connecting and empowering. And then the very top is the correcting. And even in that, we break it down into we’re gonna teach the life skills we want. And at the very top is correcting behaviors in that moment. Because that’s the least effective time to Amy: I know. Terumi: actually teach, and we forget that as adults. Amy: Yes. And it’s always, at least for me, it’s always oh, immediately that’s, I’m like, we have to fix that right now. And it’s oh, not the time, it’s it. I don’t know if it’s human nature to just want to go exactly there or if it’s my personality or what, but yeah, it takes a lot of effort. Terumi: wanna fix it. Wanna fix it right now? Amy: Yeah. Terumi: And we are frustrated. And they are frustrated and we use way too many words when they’re not in a space that their brain is comprehending a lot of words. So what we tend to do when we put in time sometimes is we flip back and forth between having the triangle. Or look like a pyramid and having it inverted where we’re spending all our time correcting. We’ll figure out the empowering things and that connection comes last. And I tell parents the way you can tell where you’re at because we all do it and we all flip back and forth between them. Amy: Yeah. Terumi: But if you are frustrated as a parent. If you are feeling like every interaction I have is correcting behavior, my hunch is you’ve inverted that pyramid Amy: Yeah, that makes sense. Terumi: and if you can go, I gotta flip it back, it starts with you as a parent going, I’ve gotta focus on that connection and I’ve gotta focus on positive interactions with my child. I had a child that at one point. Was so struggling with his mental health that he literally did not leave our house more than five times over the course of a year and a half. Amy: yeah. Wow. Terumi: I struggled with that, and I struggled to connect with him because he was so withdrawn. Amy: Yeah. Terumi: There was a time when the most I could come up with was, thank you for showering. You smell really nice today. And that was my feeble effort at connecting with that child. But when I started doing that every day, finding one way to connect with him, Amy: Yeah. Terumi: it flipped that relationship again. And he knew I had his back. I was on his site. And eventually it built where it was not hard to find things to be positive about, and it was easy to continue to build and to continue to empower him towards better mental health. Amy: Yeah. No, I think every parent can relate to that and I always, anytime we’re talking. You know about parenting aspects, I’m always laughing in my head ’cause I’m like, oh, I have this kid who’s really easy to parent and this kid who’s really hard to parent. And it’s a personality conflict for some of us. But ultimately it does. It comes back on us as the parents to find the ways to connect, to find the ways to take a deep breath and try again. And it’s hard. It’s hard as a parent. Terumi: It is we are human and we get frustrated too but remembering, oh, wait, yes, I’m the adult in this situation, whether I wanna be or not right now. Amy: There you go. That’s exactly right. Terumi: I actually am the adult. Amy: Yes. So tell us a little bit if people are not foster parents, is there a way that they can access this type of training Terumi: Yes. There are multiple community resources. My healing home here in Salt Lake County offers it. They offer it statewide. You can look into Raise the Future, offers community classes as well, and. It’s also available online through TCU. So Texas Christian University has A-T-B-R-I 1 0 1 class that you can take there. Additionally, TCU has put out multiple YouTube videos that’ll just give you. Brief glimpses into TBRI and some of these principles we’re starting to spread statewide in the number of what we call practitioners. People like myself who’ve been trained to teach TBRI and so it’s becoming more prevalently available in schools Amy: Oh, that’s awesome. Terumi: and in. Therapy agencies and things like that. So it’s starting to spread, but raise future and my healing home are two that I would recommend Amy: Okay. Yeah. That’s really good to know because I like, I had literally never even heard of this concept until I became a foster parent and. Then even still when I’ve told other people about it, I’ve had, once you become a foster parent, people think you’re like this all-knowing magical being, and it’s no, actually I’m just a human who signed up to do something really crazy, but thank you for that empowering comment. But people will reach out, right? And be like, I have this difficult niece or nephew or, and it’s I’m not. Therapist I, anyways, so I think it’s great to know where we can refer people to, or if somebody’s listening that is not a foster parent, where are these resources that they can access? Terumi: And now that you said that two books I’m gonna recommend, the connected child and the connected parent, and they are both based on TBRI principles by Karen Purvis. Amy: Okay. That’s amazing. Yeah. So that just gives a little bit of a foundation and some options for people to go look at. I would love for you to chat a little bit about what the training’s like. To become A-T-B-R-I practitioner. I’ve talked to a few of the other people at Utah Foster Care who have gone through that, and I think it’s super fascinating. So I don’t know if you have any I know that’s a random question, but I just found it really fascinating who just explained a little bit of what becoming a practitioner for it is and what it entails. And I would love if you’d be willing to share a little bit about that. Terumi: It is rather intense. Apply for the opportunity to do it. I did it late in COVID, so my experience was entirely online, which is not the ideal way and is not the way they do it now. But they have, you do about 10 weeks of. Studying and deep diving into TBRI principles, and then they set up an appointment to do something called the adult attachment interview. I told you earlier, we talk about attachment and different attachment styles with the adult attachment interview. This is a several hour process, one-on-one with an interviewer where they talk, have you talk about your childhood Amy: Oh wow. Terumi: and your parents, and. Their personalities. Your personalities, how, what worked, what didn’t what your memories are like. And then at the end of that, they tell you what your attachment style is with each of your parents, Amy: Oh, okay. Terumi: because that then shows up in how you parent and how you interact. Other relationships, it can show up in romantic relationships. It can show up in parenting relationships. So that in and of itself is very intense. Amy: do we all get one of those? Terumi: They’re very expensive to do. That is not a random thing. You just click on online. Amy: kidding, but how fascinating was it? So eye-opening to you Terumi: very Amy: and slightly horrifying. I think it would be like, Terumi: Also. Amy: wanna know that about myself. Terumi: Yes. And it, it gave me deeper insight into some of the choices that I have made as an adult for good and bad. Amy: Yeah. Wow. That’s really, yeah. That would be so interesting. Terumi: And then after that there is a one week long intensive where you are in a training session with them nine to five for five days, and they move it around the country. I think they have one coming up in Las Vegas and wound up in Washington. Amy: Okay. Terumi: It’s a rather intense process and a lot of self discovery Amy: yeah, I Terumi: in figuring that out. Amy: Wow. I just think that’s, it’s awesome and really neat to hear how intensive it is to become, to train this, because TBRI is not easy to do. It’s not like you’re gonna go into this class and then you’re like, wow, I am a spectacular parent. All of a sudden it, it takes. Effort. It takes a lot of effort and so I think even just becoming an educator in it, like it shows you took a lot of effort and a lot of time and probably a lot of soul searching to become qualified to, to teach it. Terumi: Yes, absolutely. Amy: You’re like, maybe I didn’t wanna do this. Terumi: There were times where I was like, this felt like a really good idea. Amy: Love that. Terumi: It’s a lot. I look back now though, and it has done. A world of good to use these principles with my own children in helping those relationships, in helping my marriage, in helping my relationships with my own siblings and my parents to just put things in context a little differently. Amy: Yeah. Terumi: It’s been amazing. Amy: That’s so cool. I would love if you would be willing to share just one or two successes. You shared about one of the kids that lived with you, that was struggling with mental health, but do you have any other examples that could be mentioned either about your family or people you’ve worked with? Anything? Just beautiful success stories from it. Terumi: So one of the things that. We spend a lot of time talking about is sensory challenges because a lot of our kids in care have sensory challenges of a variety of kinds. They may be seeking sensory experiences, they may be trying to avoid certain sensory experiences. In the empowering principles, we talk about how we help kids calm their bodies, and some of it has to do with these sensory experiences. Some of it has to do with making sure their blood sugar is at a regular level and making sure they’re not dehydrated rated. So it’s fun when I teach these classes and it’s once a week because parents are giving given an assignment. Go try. Something that we’ve taught this week and come back and tell us what worked, what didn’t work, and when there’s five or six of us doing this, we’re getting a whole bunch more ideas from each other. One of the things was the blood sugar and hydration, and I said, make sure right after school they are getting a snack that’s going to help regulate their blood sugar and make sure they’re getting water. Amy: Yeah. Terumi: The next week curls around and a parent comes back and she said, I went and bought high protein snacks instead of the garbage. I’d been Amy: Yeah. Terumi: being out for them to eat. And she said, it’s more expensive, but my kids every day are like, where is our special snacks? Amy: I love it. Terumi: And she said, all of those afterschool meltdowns that we were having went away. When they were getting fed and hydrated right after school because we walked through the process of what does a day look like at school? When was the last time they Amy: It’s true. Terumi: When was the last time they moved their bodies? That’s probably around one o’clock, but they’re probably eating around 11 o’clock and you’re not seeing ’em until three. Amy: Yeah. Terumi: Or three 30. So they have gone four hours and we need to get something in them fast. And so now we have a lot of families that are keeping mini water bottles or their child’s water bottle in the car and some type of snack with them in the car. So as they get in the car, they hand it to them. Amy: Do not speak. Eat this. Terumi: Or anyone can melt down. Please eat this food and drink this water and are coming back going. That was game changing. Amy: And it’s so silly, right? Like I find that all the time. I have one specific child and he’s I’m sorry that I was hangry yesterday. He can’t even think straight. He’s losing his mind. And I’m like, let’s just get you some blah, blah, blah, going crazy. Finally the next day he’s i’m so hard. Sorry that I was hangry. I’m like yes you were. Thank you for recognizing it now. But it is simple, but it really matters. It really does. Terumi: it really does. And families have come back saying, okay, I’ve tried this. Oh, have you tried this particular type of water bottle? And it’s working with kids of all ages just to meet those really basic Amy: Yeah. Terumi: And being aware of those timeframes. Have they moved their body in the last two hours? Don’t make ’em sit down and do homework right after school until you’ve gotten a snack in them and they’ve moved their body Amy: Yeah. Terumi: because. They’ve just been so pent up for so long. Sitting in a classroom, they are gonna struggle unless you get them hydrated, get their blood sugar, get meet those sensory needs if moving their body, it’s gonna go a whole lot smoother after school. Amy: Yeah, and I think that’s what you were talking about with TBRI. There are tangible things to do. Do this, then do this and yes, it’s a lot of things, right? As a parent, we’re like we just wanna snap our fingers and have it magically work. But this is not that there’s no snapping of fingers, but there is actual steps and information and. Things you can do, which I as a parent really appreciate because so many times it’s just do, just be a better parent and they’ll be better, so I really appreciate that aspect of TBRI. Terumi: And I love, I truly, every time I teach it, I’m like, oh, I should try that too. My kids are all young adults now, but I still like. Amy: probably even more reason to try it. Terumi: We should go back and try this, or maybe in that next conversation I have with that child, I can do this to reconnect with them to help have influence. They’re young adults. I’m not gonna be changing their minds on certain things, but I can have influence still, and I’m still using these principles. I’m still. Every time I take it, I learn something new and I try something new. And that’s the other thing that I’ve told parents every time they take the TBRI courses come back, you’re going to learn something new. You’re going to have a new insight with a different relationship. This is going to be helping you with Amy: And relationships are always evolving and changing mean you always have stronger or weaker ones or new ones, so there’s always something that can be worked on with somebody. At least for me, this is just, there’s just so many options really. Terumi: Exactly. Amy: Oh, I love that. I have enjoyed taking the TBRI course. I should absolutely take it again ’cause I’m in new stages of life and new things. But I really appreciate you sharing all of this information. It’s beyond helpful for listeners. Yeah. Terumi: The opportunity. Amy: Yes. No, it really is great. So we will just refer listeners to Utah foster care.org if they want to learn more or to sign up to take one of the courses. Thanks for joining us, Terumi. Terumi: Thank you. Amy: Thanks for joining us for Fostering Conversations. I’m your host, Amy Smith. To learn more, head over to Utah foster care.org.

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