Book Gang

Amy DuBois Barnett draws on her editorial career for If I Ruled the World—a vibrant novel of magazine publishing, ambition, and reinvention in 1990s media. I’m honored to warmly welcome Amy DuBois Barnett to Book Gang as she shares the story behind her debut novel, If I Ruled the World. Drawing on her groundbreaking career in magazine publishing, Amy brings us a vibrant, sometimes gritty, and always honest exploration of ambition, identity, and reinvention in 1990s print media. Today we explore Amy’s decades-in-the-making fiction journey, what inspired her to finally tell this story, and how her editorial background influenced her process as a novelist. If I Ruled the World follows Nikki, a thirty-something woman navigating the cutthroat world of late-90s print media after bravely reporting a powerful colleague’s misconduct. As she hustles to revive a struggling hip hop magazine, Nikki’s journey is marked by career chaos, personal missteps, and a search for her true voice amid shifting alliances and expectations. With wit and candor, Amy unpacks the complexities of identity, representation, and legacy as she crafts a story that is both an insider’s look at magazine publishing and a deeply personal tale of transformation. In this week’s fascinating episode, we discuss: 📚 The Writing Journey: Amy shares how she made history as the first Black woman to helm a major mainstream U.S. magazine and how decades in editorial shaped her fiction. We discuss why writing this debut novel in her fifties was the perfect moment,  and celebrating that long-awaited “yes.” 📚 Representation & Identity: We talk about Amy’s trailblazing career and how this experience shaped her leadership, and what she borrowed from her own life to bring Nikki’s biggest triumphs and trials to life in this story. 📚 Building a Magazine: Step inside the electric world of 1990s magazine publishing—where iconic covers were gambles, backstage drama was real, and Nikki’s story was born from Amy’s lived experience. Amy shares a high-stakes celebrity cover story that blurred the lines between art and life, plus her perspective on the reckoning in hip hop she witnessed firsthand in this #metoo moment. FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 13 Books About Magazines to Light Up Your Analog Heart— This curated list dives into the page-turning, messy, and fascinating world of magazines, both real and fictional. Patrons will receive a printable book list and an exclusive spoiler-filled episode with Amy DuBois Barnett! Meet Amy DuBois Barnett Amy DuBois Barnett is an award-winning media executive and author who earned national acclaim as editor in chief of Honey, Ebony, and Teen People—where she made history as the first Black woman to helm a major mainstream U.S. magazine—and as deputy editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar. She has held senior leadership roles at Paramount, Hearst, Disney, Time Inc., and several independently owned brands. Barnett has a BA from Brown University and an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. She resides in Los Angeles. If I Ruled the World is her debut novel and is available on store shelves now. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: 13 Books About Magazines to Light Up Your Analog Heart (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Inside the Creation of Daughters of Shandong with Eve J. Chung (Book Gang Podcast) If I Ruled the World Playlist If I Ruled the World by Amy DuBois Barnett The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Amy DuBois Barnett on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Amy Chozick discusses her debut, With Friends Like You—a twisty thriller set in New York that explores friendship, motherhood, and reinvention. Editor’s Note: Today’s episode is marked as explicit. We’re kicking off a truly special Book Gang episode with Amy Chozick, who brings both warmth and wit to the conversation around her fiction debut thriller, With Friends Like You. This intimate story is set in New York City’s hidden corners—a story of friendship, motherhood, and the reinvention that comes after everything changes. Today we explore Amy’s transition from political reporting to penning a propulsive, confessional thriller about the high-wire act of modern motherhood and the secrets that shape our closest friendships. In With Friends Like You, Emily is still reeling from a harrowing birth experience and struggling to find solid ground as a new mother in Manhattan. Missing the woman she was before, she is drawn into a search for her enigmatic former roommate, Daisy. When Daisy reappears with plans for an exclusive wellness center, old wounds are reopened, and the cracks in their friendship threaten to unravel Emily’s fragile world. Together, they create a space for New York moms—complete with IV vitamin infusions, nap rooms, and communal childcare—as they navigate secrets, betrayals, and the longing for connection. With raw honesty and a fiercely contemporary lens, Amy unpacks her real-life inspiration, the transition from journalism to fiction, and the emotional terrain of motherhood, friendship, and ambition. In this juicy conversation, we discuss: 📚 The Writing Journey: Amy shares how the Hollywood Writers Strike became an unusual catalyst for finding the time and headspace to write fiction. We discuss the questions that drove her from political reporting to fiction, the early premise, her path from outline to final draft, and what it’s like to land her first fiction book deal. 📚 Reporting as Inspiration: Amy discloses how many of her journalistic pieces ended up becoming important elements in her story, from the high-rise setting to reporting on Stormy Daniels, which gave her a firsthand look at secrets, power, and reinvention that now pulse through the novel. 📚 New Motherhood and Pelvic Floor Therapy: We delve into the realities of new motherhood and the absence of villages and third space for mothers, why pelvic floor therapy is a crucially under-discussed part of postpartum recovery, and how Amy’s fiction sheds light on the emotional and physical challenges faced by new mothers—topics that deserve more open conversation in both literature and life. BONUS BOOK LIST: My Top Books of the Year (So Far) – I’m sharing the fifteen books that have wowed me after reading sixty-eight titles through June! Patrons receive a printable list and a sneak peek at two book club picks for our 2027 book club year. Meet Amy Chozick Amy Chozick is a bestselling author, screenwriter, and award-winning journalist who has covered the biggest stories in politics, business, and media for The New York Times. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller Chasing Hillary, which was adapted into the HBO Max series The Girls on the Bus. Her writing has appeared in Vogue, Vanity Fair, and more. Amy is currently adapting With Friends Like You into a major motion picture with Fifth Season and Academy Award-winning producer Brad Weston. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: My Top Books of 2026 (So Far) Book List (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Inside the Creation of Daughters of Shandong with Eve J. Chung (Book Gang Podcast) With Friends Like You by Amy Chozick This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley David Carr Chasing Hillary by Amy Chozick The Girls on the Bus Shark Heart by Emily Habeck Margo’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe Margo’s Got Money Troubles Towers of Secrecy Rosemary’s Baby Somewhere The Big, Controversial Business of The Wing, Explained Panera Sips Club The Bee Sting by Paul Murray Pagebound How the Pagebound App Reinvents Social Reading (Podcast) Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Amy Chozick on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Molly Fader joins us to discuss Lady X, her soapy and subversive 1970s historical novel blending female-driven mystery, revenge, and legacy. This week on Book Gang, I’m thrilled to welcome returning guest Molly Fader, an acclaimed voice in historical fiction and romance, for a deep-dive conversation about her latest soapy novel, Lady X. It blends the revenge vibes of The Change with the emotional punch of Husbands & Lovers. Readers meet Margot, whose husband’s humiliating scandal sends her back to her childhood home just as her mother’s memory fades. An attic discovery—a photo linking her mother to the infamous 1970s vigilante group Lady X—launches Margot and her daughter into a cross-generational mystery that’s as much about rage and legacy as it is about revenge. With wicked graffiti, oodles of secrets, and a freshly fierce examination of what women inherit when they stop apologizing, we unbox Molly’s real-life inspiration, reading life, and the demands of a mixed-media reading experience. In this thought-provoking conversation, we discuss: 📚 Inspiration & Crafting Mythic Narratives: Molly discusses the mythic question at the heart of Lady X: What if the woman your family dismissed was once the most feared vigilante in New York? She shares how the story’s seeds were planted, the journey from idea to page, and the creative decisions behind her use of mixed media—such as newspaper clippings—to build a larger-than-life legend. 📚  Why the 1970s Was the Perfect Era: Molly reflects on the research behind her 1970s timeline, the echoes of contemporary issues, and the need for solidarity when systems fail to protect women. We gossip about what other books have gotten right or wrong about capturing this era, and the current publishing trends exploring it. 📚  Revenge, Righteous Anger, and Nuance: We explore how Lady X balances the satisfaction of revenge fiction with the nuanced portrayal of both women and men, the real-life heroes who inspired the story, and the conversations Molly hopes book clubs will have about the ongoing fight for women’s voices. BONUS BOOK LIST: 12 “Good For Her” Books- Admittedly, this is a subgenre of my own creation, as we celebrate stories where women unapologetically take up space, seize their power, and, when necessary, deliver a well-deserved comeuppance. A variety pack of fun is available to browse for free today. Patrons will receive a printable book list and a bonus spoiler conversation with Molly today. Meet Molly Fader Molly Fader is the author of The McAvoy Sisters Book of Secrets, The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season and The Sunshine Girls. The Sunshine Girls is one of Library Reads and Amazon Editor's Ten Best Books of December. Under the name Molly O'Keefe she is the award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. Lady X hits store shelves on July 14th and is available to pre-order now. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: 12 “Good For Her” Books- Flip some tables with me through these stories that center female revenge, joy, and autonomy in one delicious stack (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung Inside the Creation of Daughters of Shandong with Eve J. Chung (Book Gang Podcast) The Change by Kirsten Miller Husbands and Lovers by Beatriz Williams Lady X by Molly Fader The Sunshine Girls by Molly Fader The Magic of Old Hollywood Books with Molly Fader (Book Gang Podcast) Day Drinking with Authors Joshilyn Jackson, Missing Sisters & The Meadowlyn Day Drinking with Joshilyn Jackson Missing Sister by Joshilyn Jackson Vigilante Shit The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawn Walton Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins The Villa by Rachel Hawkins Helen Laser The Wedding People by Alison Espach Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty Bad Sisters by Rebecca Chance The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai One’s Company by Ashley Hutson Inside One’s Company: Obsession, Isolation and Talking with Ashley Hutson (Podcast) Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman The Women by Kristin Hannah The Half Life by Rachel Beanland A Hymn to Life by Giséle Pelicot AOC Tarana Burke Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Molly Fader on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Eve J. Chung joins our July Book Club to discuss Daughters of Shandong, a gripping historical novel of survival, resilience, and family during wartime China. This week on Book Gang, Eve J. Chung—acclaimed human rights lawyer, debut novelist, and storyteller inspired by her family's extraordinary past—joins us for a riveting conversation about her powerful historical novel,  Daughters of Shandong. Eve brings a deep personal history to the page, exploring the cost of survival during China's 1948 Communist Revolution. In this episode, we’ll talk about turning family history into fiction, the ethical challenges of writing about trauma, and how Eve researched and structured a sweeping historical novel that moves with the urgency of a thriller. Eve reveals how her experience as a human rights lawyer challenged her writing process, the unique struggles of portraying women who both resist and uphold patriarchy, and the responsibility of illuminating lesser-known history for the next generation of readers. In this thought-provoking conversation, we discuss: 📚 Transforming Family History Into Fiction: Eve shares the moment her grandmother’s story took hold of her imagination, how she balanced fact and invention, and the research process that brought 1948 China to life. She discusses the challenges and responsibilities of fictionalizing family trauma and how she honored her relatives’ experiences while protecting their privacy. 📚 Writing Women, Power, and Patriarchy: Eve explores her approach to portraying women who both reinforce and resist patriarchal systems, including complex characters like Hai’s grandmother. She explains the importance of showing both oppression and agency within one household, and how her background in human rights law shaped her understanding of these dynamics. 📚 Illuminating Hidden History: Eve discusses the little-known historical events that inspired Daughters of Shandong, her strategies for bringing lesser-documented moments to life, and the balance between emotional intensity and reader accessibility—especially in the book’s most harrowing scenes. 📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: To celebrate Eve's book, I have created a companion book list with a rather unique subgenre that I love: 21 Books About Walks.  I have gathered books where the journey on foot is the story's engine, including my all-time favorites and a few new releases I can't wait to read. You can browse the full list for free on Patreon! Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists, five hidden gem titles, and a bonus spoiler episode with Eve. Meet Eve J. Chung Eve J. Chung is a Taiwanese American lawyer and women’s human rights specialist. She has worked on a range of issues, including torture, sexual violence, contemporary forms of slavery, and discriminatory legislation. Her writing is inspired by social justice movements and the continued struggle for equality and fundamental freedoms worldwide. She currently lives in New York with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Daughters of Shandong is her debut novel and is available on store shelves now. Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST:: 21 Incredible Books About Walks- Take a long walk through fiction and nonfiction today! (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 SUPPORT OUR FAMILY: Join the Book Gang- patreon.com/momadvice 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung The Young Will Remember by Eve J. Chung Daughters of Shandong with Eve Chung on Reflecting History Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Eve J. Chung on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter  

Elisa Faison joins Book Gang to discuss Skin Contact, her debut exploring the impact of an open marriage on a couple and their circle. This week on Book Gang, Elisa Faison—acclaimed short story writer, debut novelist, and someone living openly in a nontraditional marriage—joins us for an unflinching conversation about her novel, Skin Contact. Elisa brings rare firsthand insight to the page, drawing from her own experience to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions about open marriage that have long been absent in our fiction stacks. In this episode, we’ll talk about writing from the inside of creative work and what it means to craft intimacy and connection in this refreshing story that hits all the romance story beats. Elisa reveals how she built the intricate structure of Skin Contact, her approach to nontraditional relationships on the page, and the craft of weaving multiple storylines into a resonant whole. In this rich conversation, we discuss: 📚 The Writing Journey & Literary Beginnings: Elisa shares her roots as a bookseller and editor, the winding path from her initial idea for Skin Contact to securing her agent and book deal, and what surprised her most about the debut journey. She reflects on outlining, the evolution of the novel’s interconnected structure, and the pivotal moments that shaped the sale of her book, including the role book scouts play in her international sales. 📚 Love, Marriage, and Literary Complexity: Elisa discusses nontraditional relationship structures, including her own experience in an open marriage and what many stories get wrong about these dynamics. She shares the craft of writing intimacy and connection, the delicate dance between genre expectations and literary ambitions, and her perspective on how literature can challenge assumptions about love and commitment. 📚 Story Structure & Creative Identity: We dive deep into Frances’s job as a ghostwriter—how invisibility, credit, and creative ownership shape her story—and what drew Elisa to this lens. Elisa discusses the challenge of writing unresolved grief and how her own experiences informed Frances’s emotional journey. 📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 17 Literary Love Stories That Linger—Discover 17 unforgettable stories that explore connection and longing, curated as the perfect companion to Skin Contact in this week’s book list. Patrons receive a printable book list, five bonus book ideas, and a bonus spoiler chat with Elisa in their inbox today. Meet Elisa Faison Elisa Faison is a writer and freelance editor living in Carrboro, North Carolina with her partner and two-year-old twins. She has published stories in The Missouri Review, Electric Literature, Smokelong Quarterly, and more. Her story “Motherlove” was the recipient of the 2024 Peden Prize, awarded by The Missouri Review and judged by Rachel Yoder. Her story “Group Sex” was the third most-read story of 2023 in Electric Literature. Formerly, Elisa worked as a bookseller at Flyleaf Books and as the book reviews editor at The Carolina Quarterly. She holds a PhD in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Skin Contact, this week’s featured selection, arrives June 23rd from Cardinal Press.   Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: 17 Literary Love Stories That Linger (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations): http://buymeacoffee.com/bookgangpodcast/e/535779 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Skin Contact by Elisa Faison Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason Sophie, Standing There by Meg Mason Thirst Trap by Gráinne O’Hare Moderation by Elaine Castillo Love is an Algorithm by Laura Brooke Robson A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Vladimir by Julia May Jonas Vladimir Acts of Service by Lillian Fishman The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff The Bright Years with Sarah Damoff (Podcast Interview) The Burning Side with Sarah Damoff (Podcast Interview) The Correspondent by Virginia Evans Slanting Towards the Sea by Lidija Hilje Slanting Towards the Sea with Lidija Hilje(Podcast Interview) Fates & Furies by Lauren Groff The Best Plus Size Romance Characters to Love with Julia Murphy & Sierra Simone (Podcast Interview) Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Elisa Faison on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Kia Abdullah joins Book Gang to discuss Next of Kin, her gripping backlist thriller about sisterhood laced with a high-stakes courtroom drama you won’t forget. This week on Book Gang, we’re joined by Kia Abdullah, award-winning novelist and founder of Asian Booklist, for a deeply engaging conversation about her acclaimed thriller Next of Kin. We’ll dig into Kia’s unique journey from a career in tech to her bold work as a full-time author, and explore how her advocacy is changing the landscape for British-Asian writers in publishing. Kia share more behind the art of writing high-stakes suspense, the impact of BookTok on the thriller genre, and the real-life inspirations behind Next of Kin’s unforgettable courtroom drama. Discover the secrets to building authentic tension, crafting twisty plots, and what she hopes readers will take away from her exploration of sisterhood, responsibility, and the complexities of motherhood. In this informative conversation, we discuss: 📚 The Writing Journey & Bold Storytelling: From a background in computer science and tech to full-time novelist, Kia shares what gave her the courage to pursue writing and how she built a career tackling controversial themes. Her reflections on confidence, resilience, and the impact of BookTok on her work offer deep insight into her evolution as a thriller writer. 📚 Crafting High-Stakes Suspense (Spoiler-Free): Kia discusses how she uses backstory, emotional stakes, and authentic courtroom drama to build suspense in Next of Kin. From the novel’s powerful opening to its exploration of sisterhood, motherhood, and responsibility, she shares her approach to writing tension-filled, thought-provoking crime fiction. 📚 Amplifying British-Asian Voices: Kia Abdullah founded Asian Booklist to spotlight British-Asian authors who are often underrepresented in publishing. Through this initiative, she’s opening doors for new and established writers, creating a much-needed space for authentic stories and diverse perspectives to reach wider audiences. 📚 BONUS FREE WEEKLY BOOK LIST: 16 Legal Thriller Books to Read Now Discover 16 Books 16 Legal Thrillers to add to your book stack. Prepare for high-stakes courtroom drama, fascinating true crime, and the kind of page-turning suspense that keeps you up way past your bedtime. Patrons receive a printable book list, five bonus book ideas, and a bonus spoiler chat with Kia in their inbox today. Meet Kia Abdullah Kia Abdullah is an author and journalist from London. Her novels include Take It Back (a Guardian and Telegraph thriller of the year), Truth Be Told (shortlisted for a Diverse Book Award), Next of Kin (longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award) and Those People Next Door (a Times Bestseller and Waterstones Thriller of the Month). Her new novel, What Happens in the Dark, is out now. Kia has won a Diverse Book Award (2022) and a JB Priestley Award for Writers of Promise (2020). She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and has written for The New York Times, The Guardian, The Times, and the BBC, among others. Next of Kin, this week’s featured selection, is on store shelves now.   Mentioned in this episode: NEW BOOK LIST: 16 Legal Thriller Books to Read Now FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Next of Kin by Kia Abdullah Take It Back by Kia Abdullah Asian Booklist Substack Brick Lane by Monica Ali Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine Zubs Uncovered Truth Be Told by Kia Abdullah Books with Good Plot Twists That Will Make Your Jaw Drop The Chain by Adrian McKinty Stealing Hollywood by Alexandra Sokoloff The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr What Happens in the Dark by Kia Abdullah The Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna Freitas Elizabeth Day Royal Society of Literature Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Kia Abdullah on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter  

Travel to Ireland with Charleen Hurtubise to celebrate her US debut, Saoirse—a moving story of art, memory, and reinvention set on Donegal’s wild Atlantic coast. Book Gang welcomes Charleen Hurtubise, novelist and artist, to discuss her sweeping and quietly powerful novel, Saoirse. Charleen draws on her transatlantic life, her creative work as an artist, and her deep ties to Ireland and Michigan to bring this immersive story to life. Set in 1990s Donegal, this immersive novel follows Saoirse Byrne, an artist whose life is transformed when she unexpectedly wins the prestigious Margaret Dowling Art Prize. As fame threatens to uncover long-buried secrets from her Michigan past, Saoirse must navigate a world shaped by Ireland’s social and political change, Catholic influence, and her own search for freedom. In this layered and moving conversation, we discuss: 📚 Transatlantic Inspirations & Setting: Discover how Charleen Hurtubise’s own transatlantic life—growing up in Michigan, and building a creative career in Ireland—informs the layered world of Saoirse, and why Donegal’s landscape and history were essential to her story of reinvention. 📚 The Art and Craft of Storytelling: Go behind the scenes of Charleen’s writing process, from the novel’s earliest inspirations in true stories of hidden identities to the painstaking assembly of Saoirse’s “literary jigsaw”—a narrative woven from memory, visual art, and the secrets of the past. Learn how her background as both an artist and a writer shaped the novel’s unique structure. 📚 1990s Ireland: Explore the complex realities of 1990s Ireland for women—where issues of freedom, social change, and Catholic influence collide—and how Charleen uses Saoirse’s journey, her art, and her relationships to examine what it truly means to find autonomy, belonging, and a sense of home.   📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: 23 Books About the 1990s Discover 23 Books About the 1990s with today’s NEW book list! From literary mysteries and coming-of-age gems to memoirs and multigenerational sagas, this collection celebrates the books that capture the decade’s energy, anxieties, and hopes. Browse for free, friends! Patrons will receive a printable book list and a bonus spoiler episode with Charleen. Meet Charleen Hurtubise Charleen Hurtubise is a novelist and artist. She is the author of The Polite Act of Drowning, published in Ireland and the UK in 2023. Saoirse is her US debut. She holds an M.Sc. from Trinity College Dublin and an MFA in creative writing from University College Dublin, where she has facilitated creative writing seminars. The sixth sister in a family of nine, she spent much of her childhood in Michigan, her early adult years in Boston, and has now lived half of her life in Ireland, which is home. Though she lives in Dublin with her Irish family, the pull of Donegal never leaves and continues to influence her drawings and writings, including Saoirse.   Mentioned in this episode: NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 23 Books About the 19990s to Read Right Now (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Saoirse by Charleen Hurtubise Joan Eardley The Polite Act of Drowning by Charleen Hurtubise Pope John Paul II Becomes the First Pope to Visit Ireland  Una Watters Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy Poor by Katriona O’Sullivan Edna O’Brien Book Club Kit for Saoirse Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Charleen Hurtubise on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Blair Fell joins Book Gang to discuss The Sign for Home, exploring the DeafBlind experience and a moving journey of autonomy and connection in this backlist feature. Book Gang welcomes Blair Fell, acclaimed playwright, television writer, essayist, and ASL interpreter, to discuss his heartfelt and eye-opening novel, The Sign for Home. Fell’s unique life experience—including decades as an ASL interpreter for the Deaf and DeafBlind communities—shapes this deeply immersive story. Longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, The Sign for Home is a funny, moving, and transformative read that will leave you curious and inspired. I’m thrilled to celebrate this unforgettable debut as part of this year’s Summer Reading Guide backlist feature and to honor the community it serves. Don’t miss how Blair’s story left such an impression on a reader that they changed their will after reading it. In this rich, humorous, and moving conversation, we discuss: 📚 Writing from Lived Experience: Fell shares what it means to craft a character as complex as Arlo, drawing from his personal career as an interpreter and from interviews with members of the DeafBlind community. Discover how authentic representation and the many years of drafting shaped every page of this coming-of-age story. 📚 The Ethics and Intimacy of Interpretation: Learn about the real-world team dynamics, physical demands, and ethical dilemmas facing ASL interpreters, and how these play out in Arlo’s story. Fell’s insider details—from tag-team interpreting to nuanced moments of tactile signing—bring the profession vividly to life. 📚 Crafting Voice and Language: Fell’s inventive narrative choices mirror the rhythms of ASL, with Arlo’s dialogue rendered in a unique cadence and interpreters’ speech in standard English. Explore how these stylistic decisions deepen readers’ immersion and illuminate the power of language. Meet Blair Fell Blair Fell writes and lives in New York City. His television work includes Queer as Folk and PBS’s California Connected. He’s written dozens of plays, including The Tragic and Horrible Life of the Singing Nun, the award-winning Naked Will, and the cult miniseries Burning Habits. His essays have appeared in HuffPost, Out, Daily News (New York), and more. Fell is a two-time winner of the Doris Lippman Prize in Creative Writing, including for an early draft of the USA Today best-seller Disco Witches of Fire Island, a RuPaul book club pick and Lambda Award finalist. His debut novel, The Sign for Home, was longlisted for the Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and was selected as an Indie Next and Indie’s Introduce book by the American Booksellers Association. Blair has also worked as an actor, producer, ASL interpreter, and director. He lives in Jackson Heights, NY (Queens, New York City). Mentioned in this episode: Temporary Show Notes Location with Transcript (Apologies for the web issues today!) NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 18 Books With Disabled Characters to Read Now (FREE TO BROWSE ON PATREON THIS WEEK) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Join the June Book Club 6/25 at 8 PM ET (Woodworking) The Sign For Home by Blair Fell Disco Witches of Fire Island by Blair Fell The Two Wills by Blair Fell The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff Sarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast Interview Delicious Foods by James Hannaham True Biz by Sara Nović Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Blair Fell on Instagram or His Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Step inside a 1980s Kentucky department store as Kayla Rae Whitaker shares the family secrets and ambition behind her novel Returns & Exchanges. Book Gang welcomes acclaimed author Kayla Rae Whitaker to discuss her much-anticipated new novel, Returns & Exchanges. Whitaker’s immersive storytelling and meticulous research bring the 1980s era and its consumer culture to vibrant life. Set in Kentucky during the 1980s, this sweeping family drama follows Fred and Fran, a couple whose rags-to-riches ascent as department store owners brings both fortune and unexpected turmoil. As their business thrives, the family’s personal lives become increasingly complicated in this messy family saga. Through multiple perspectives and intricate subplots, the novel explores themes of identity, desire, mental health, and the complexities of the American dream in this page-turning story. In this warm and insightful conversation, we discuss: 📚 Inside the Writing Process: It has been nine years since Whitaker’s breathtaking debut, The Animators. We discuss the pressure writers are under to write the next book and why she chose a different timeline for herself. Get insight into Whitaker’s approach to developing memorable characters, managing a sprawling narrative, and the questions she hopes book clubs and readers will debate after finishing Returns & Exchanges. 📚 Recreating 1980s Kentucky: Discover how Kayla Rae Whitaker’s meticulous research brings the sights, sounds, and family dynamics of a 1980s department store empire to life. We discuss how YouTube offered fun, immersive experiences that helped her connect the dots on stocking her store, allowing us to be immersed in the nostalgia of a well-stocked department store. 📚 Ambition, Identity & Queer Desire: Explore how the novel boldly handles themes of ambition, identity, and queer desire, as Whitaker discusses the risks she took to portray a family unraveling under the pressure of success and the true love story at the center of this moving novel. As an English teacher, she brings incredible examples of books she sees in conversation with her novel. 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Books About Malls and Retail Stores Discover 22 must-read books about malls and stores where retail locations take center stage in their stories. Patrons receive a printable checklist and a bonus spoiler chat with Kayla Rae Whitaker, streaming today. Meet Kayla Whitaker Kayla Rae Whitaker’s work has been published in The Los Angeles Times, Buzzfeed, Electric Literature, and others. Her first novel, The Animators, was named a best book of 2017 by Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Kirkus, and BookPage. Her second novel, Returns and Exchanges, published by Random House, is on store shelves now. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and New York University. She writes and teaches in Queens, New York.   Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 22 Books About Malls and Stores to Read Now 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Returns & Exchanges by Kayla Rae Whitaker The Animators by Kayla Rae Whitaker Commonwealth by Ann Patchett Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen East of Eden by John Steinbeck King Lear by William Shakespeare Nixonland by Rick Perlstein One’s Company by Ashley Hutson Inside One’s Company: Obsession, Isolation, and Talking with Ashley Hutson The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann Carol Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Kayla Rae Whitaker on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter  

Sarah Damoff joins Book Gang to discuss The Burning Side, a powerful family saga of marriage, memory, and the secrets that bind generations. This week’s Book Gang conversation welcomes back acclaimed author Sarah Damoff, whose new novel, The Burning Side, delivers a gripping book club premise: a multigenerational family forced to rebuild after tragedy, now under one roof. Opening with a house fire, readers witness the unraveling of the tangled lives of April and Leo, who must seek shelter with April’s parents—only to discover old wounds and new truths simmering beneath the surface of Deb and Billy’s life as they navigate carrying a heavy secret of their own. Damoff draws on her experience as a social worker to craft heart-wrenching, compassionate scenes of family struggle, childhood trauma, and the hard choices that shape marriage and parenthood. In this inviting and deeply immersive conversation, we discuss: 📚 Breaking through without a platform: Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes story of launching The Bright Years—without a major social media following, publishing pedigree, or built-in audience—and how her debut still became a national bestseller and Goodreads Choice finalist. We discuss what truly drives word-of-mouth success, the role of authentic storytelling, and what her experience reveals about connecting with readers in today’s book world. 📚 What happens after “happily ever after?”: Sarah explores the overlooked middle and later years of marriage—when routines settle, old dreams fade, and couples like Leo and April or Deb and Billy face new tensions and vulnerable reckonings. We discuss how these shifting roles and quiet heroics shape both relationships at the novel’s heart. 📚 Writing memory and identity in decline: We talk with Sarah about the emotionally charged process of bringing Billy’s early-onset dementia to life on the page. She shares how she honored both the vibrant man Billy was and the person he’s becoming, capturing the heartbreak of losing not just memories, but layers of identity. 📚 FREE BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Books About Fires Discover 19 must-read books about fires where fire ignites drama, mystery, and transformation—perfect picks for book clubs and fans of immersive stories. Patrons receive a printable checklist and a bonus spoiler chat with Sarah Damoff, streaming today. Meet Sarah Damoff Sarah Damoff is the author of the debut novel, The Bright Years, published by Simon & Schuster in 2025—a national bestseller and Goodreads Choice Awards finalist, now translated into fourteen languages. Her writing has appeared in Oprah Daily, Porter House Review, Ruminate Magazine, and Open Global Rights. She holds a Child Protection Certification from Harvard University and lives with her family in Dallas, Texas, where she has worked as a social worker. The Burning Side arrives in stores on May 19th. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript NEW: Download the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (57-Pages of Bookish Fun With 70 Tried-and-True Recommendations) NEW BOOK LIST: 19 Books About Fires 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Sarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast Interview Christina Baker Kline (The Foursome) Podcast Interview The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy The Correspondent by Virginia Evans The Dallas Museum of Art Arts & Letters Program Maggie O’Farrell Valley of Forgetting by Jennie Erin Smith Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Sarah Damoff on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter  

Christina Baker Kline joins Book Gang to discuss The Foursome, a novel inspired by her family ties to the descendants of conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker. This week’s Book Gang conversation welcomes #1 New York Times bestselling author Christina Baker Kline, whose new novel The Foursome delivers a captivating book club premise inspired by the true story of Chang and Eng Bunker. Kline’s narrative follows the conjoined twins from their international stardom to settling in North Carolina, where they seek love and family, culminating in an unexpected and unforgettable love story with sisters Adelaide and Sarah. Kline invites readers into her flourishing career, where she reflects on Orphan Train’s success and what’s changed since she began in the 1990s. For writers and readers alike, she offers compelling advice on weathering publishing changes. In this inviting and deeply immersive conversation, we discuss: 📚 Love and loyalty knotted together: Step inside the Bunker household, where devotion, sacrifice, and longing shape both the extraordinary and everyday. Kline discusses the choreography required to flesh out the complexity of penning four lives forever entwined, and how love perseveres—and sometimes fractures—under the most unusual circumstances. 📚 Identity, exploitation, and survival: Through one sister’s intimate perspective, we witness the complexities of life alongside the Bunker twins—how questions of belonging, power, and survival shape their world, and the uncomfortable truths that arise when victims become participants in the very systems that once oppressed them as Kline explores the harder truths woven into their lives. 📚 Sights, sounds, and secrets of history: Kline transports us to nineteenth-century North Carolina in vivid detail, and discusses her literary influences who shaped the bustling farmsteads and kitchen tables, all made possible through the shadows of slavery. With 21 children and two intimate households, Kline discusses how this stretched her as a storyteller. 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: BOOKS ABOUT TWINS Discover 43 books about twins that span thrillers, historical fiction, and heartfelt dramas—exploring the unique bond only these unique siblings can share. Perfect for fans of The Foursome. Meet Christina Baker Kline A #1 New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including Orphan Train, The Exiles, Please Don’t Lie (co-authored with Anne Burt), and the forthcoming The Foursome (May 2026), Christina Baker Kline is published in more than 40 countries. Her novels have received the New England Prize for Fiction, the Maine Literary Award, and a Barnes & Noble Discover Award, among other prizes, and have been chosen by hundreds of communities, universities, and schools as “One Book, One Read” selections. Her essays, articles, and reviews have appeared in publications such as The New York Times and The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The San Francisco Chronicle. Mentioned in this episode: NEW: Buy the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (help our show stay on air) Download Today's Show Transcript 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) UPDATED BOOK LIST: 43 Books About Twins for Double the Drama The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline Piece of the World by Christina Baker Kline Christopher Paolini Please Don’t Lie by Anne Burt and Christina Baker Kline Watch Her Lie by Anne Burt and Christina Baker Kline Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink Historical Fiction: The Pleasures and Perils of Writing About Other Eras Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Christina Baker Kline on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

The 2026 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide is here! Discover 70 must-read titles and 57 pages of fresh picks for your best summer yet. It’s time for one of my favorite episodes: the official reveal of the 2026 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide! This year’s edition showcases 70 carefully curated titles spanning every genre, so you can find the perfect read for every summer mood. In this special Book Gang episode, I’m sharing this year’s reading challenges with the buzziest books that didn’t deliver but ultimately changed my sails towards the unexpected, from magical days at the library for backlist fun to under-the-radar gems like the ones I’m debuting today. Out of the 114 books I read to prepare for this one, I’m spotlighting five unforgettable novels that deserve a spot on your TBR. These new voices captured my heart, and I hope you’ll fall in love with them, too. Grab your notebook (or open your Libby app!)—let’s dive into the WHY behind this year’s selections and get ready to build your summer reading stack. GET THE GUIDE: Browse the 2026 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide (with ads) or receive the 57-page reading guide download ($7) to support our show. If you are a show patron, check your inbox for your copy as part of your member benefits- thank you for supporting my small business!   Meet Amy Allen Clark Amy Allen Clark is the founder of MomAdvice.com, a vibrant online community she has nurtured since 2004. Through this platform, Amy shares practical advice on recipes, DIY projects, and book recommendations for her readers. In 2013, Amy authored The Good Life for Less, published by Penguin, and offered families tips for running their households on a shoestring budget. Amy launched the Book Gang Podcast in 2021. The book podcast celebrates debut authors, explores backlist titles, and highlights under-the-radar book selections. Through engaging conversations with writers and fellow book enthusiasts, Amy aims to connect you with your new favorite book. Mentioned in this episode: NEW: Buy the 2026 Summer Reading Guide (help our show stay on air) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Ellery Adams talks Invasive Species: Horror in the Neighborhood Substack on Yesteryear (the religious perspective) Stormy Daniels Isn’t Backing Down 17 Years After The Help, Kathryn Stockett Returns to Mississippi   Connect With Me: Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Support the Show With a Tip on Buy Me a Coffee

Laurie Frankel joins Book Gang to discuss Enormous Wings, a bold, bighearted novel about aging, autonomy, and the messiness of modern family life. This week’s Book Gang conversation welcomes New York Times bestselling author Laurie Frankel, whose latest novel delivers a juicy book club premise wrapped in the chaos and warmth of a multigenerational Jewish family. When breast cancer survivor Pepper Mills loses her home and independence, she’s thrown into a new world at Vista View Retirement Community—only to face the unimaginable: a pregnancy at seventy-seven, and a gauntlet of opinions from loved ones, doctors, and the wider world. In this lively, surprising conversation, we discuss: 📚 Radically ordinary desires: Frankel unpacks the inspiration behind Pepper’s late-life pregnancy, exploring how aging, romance, and reproductive choice are rendered with empathy and humor. We talk about the importance of portraying older women’s desires as deeply human, never tragic or comedic. 📚 Family, autonomy, and the messiness of care: We dive into the family dynamics at the heart of Enormous Wings—how adult children can both rally around and inadvertently bulldoze their parents in the name of safety, and why there’s no right way to navigate the complexities of midlife and elder care. 📚 The riotous specificity of family: Frankel shares how she builds such vivid, lived-in characters—like grandkids who speak in emojis and National Coming Apart Day—without losing the emotional core. We discuss the joys and challenges of balancing humor, tradition, and heart in a story that celebrates both individuality and belonging. 📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Celebrate ageless adventures with this week’s list: 60 Books with Older Protagonists—stories that prove life’s boldest chapters can begin at any age. This has a lovely mix of upcoming releases, new releases, and backlist gems to browse.  Patrons can grab a printable checklist for their next reading spree! Meet Laurie Frankel Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Family Family, One Two Three, Goodbye for Now, The Atlas of Love, and the Reese’s Book Club Pick This Is How It Always Is. She lives in Seattle with her husband, daughter, and border collie. Enormous Wings is available now from Henry Holt & Co. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) UPDATED BOOK LIST: 60 Books With Older Protagonists Janelle Brown Interview (What Kind of Paradise) Join the May Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (What Kind of Paradise) Enormous Wings by Laurie Frankel A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel Garcia Marquez This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Laurie Frankel on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Janelle Brown joins us as our May MomAdvice Book Club pick to discuss What Kind of Paradise, a 1990s-set literary thriller filled with twists and turns. In our May Book Club episode, we welcome New York Times bestselling author Janelle Brown for a spoiler-free conversation about her latest literary thriller, What Kind of Paradise. This psychologically rich novel plunges readers into the chaotic optimism of the 1990s dot-com era, unraveling the deeper currents of family, technology, and survival that shape its unforgettable characters. Through the story of Esme—a gifted coder navigating the promise and perils of the 1990s tech boom and her father’s ideological obsessions—Brown crafts a compulsively readable tale that asks what we inherit, what we choose, and what we risk in pursuit of our own paradise. In this fascinating conversation, we discuss: 📚 Navigating genre and story ambition: Janelle Brown shares how What Kind of Paradise pushes her fiction into new territory in her first story set in the past, blending domestic drama with survival thriller. She discusses why she refuses to be boxed in by genre, letting character and theme dictate form, and how this approach challenges her creatively and sets this novel apart from her previous work. 📚 Crafting propulsive character-driven suspense: Brown reveals how What Kind of Paradise presented unique challenges of writing a story set in the 1990s tech boom and how this novel stretched her craft in both structure and voice, including the thin archives from this time in history. 📚 Technology, ideology, and generational tension: Brown discusses how her early days in technology shaped this story and what her insider lens brought to it. She explains why Esme’s journey is about claiming freedom and curiosity in a world where technology can be weaponized, and how these dynamics reflect the broader cultural anxieties we face right now through her father’s intriguing backstory. 📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: This week’s companion list features 32 Literary Thrillers You Can’t Put Down—a curated mix of new favorites and essential classics for every suspense lover. Check out the printable checklist for your next reading adventure and unlock a spoiler chat with Janelle Brown discussing her novel’s more surprising themes.   Meet Janelle Brown Janelle Brown is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels What Kind of Paradise, I’ll Be You, Pretty Things, Watch Me Disappear, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything, and This Is Where We Live. Her books have been translated into more than two dozen languages and several are in development for television. She’s the recipient of the American Library Association’s Alex Award, and her journalism and essays have appeared in The New York Times, Vogue, Elle, Wired, and more. A former senior writer at Salon and early staff writer at Wired during the dot-com boom, Brown also co-founded Maxi, a pioneering women’s pop culture Webzine. Originally from San Francisco and a UC Berkeley graduate, she now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. What Kind of Paradise is available now wherever books are sold. Mentioned in this episode: Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you'd like to keep the conversation going, you're invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on April 30th at 8 PM ET, where we'll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%. Download Today's Show Transcript 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) NEW BOOK LIST: 32 Literary Thrillers You Can’t Put Down Sam Wachman Interview (The Sunflower Boys) Join the April Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (The Sunflower Boys) What Kind of Paradise by Janelle Brown Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Janelle Brown on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Dur e Aziz Amna joins us to discuss A Splintering, a sharp, compulsive novel about class, ambition, and the cost of becoming who you believe you’re meant to be. This week’s Book Gang conversation brings us together with award-winning author Dur e Aziz Amna to talk about A Splintering, a novel that pulls you in from its very first line and refuses to let the reader go. This novel made my Best Books of the Year list, and I'm so excited to celebrate this story today. From a childhood shaped by poverty in rural Pakistan to the calculated, high-stakes world of social mobility, Amna introduces us to Tara—a narrator who dares you to judge her even as she demands to be understood. This is a story about ambition sharpened by circumstance, about the quiet and not-so-quiet ways women navigate power, and about what it means to reshape your life when the world has already decided your place within it. In this compelling conversation, we discuss: 📚 The making of a sharper, more unflinching novel: Dur e Aziz Amna reflects on the journey from American Fever to A Splintering, exploring how success reshapes creative pressure—and how this novel emerged as something darker, more daring, and more structurally ambitious in both voice and scope. 📚 A narrator who challenges the reader’s loyalty: We dive into Tara’s arresting opening and what it means to build a story around a protagonist who is not asking to be liked, but understood. Through voice, structure, and intimate address, Amna redefines the relationship between reader and character, asking us to sit with discomfort rather than resolve it. 📚 Class, ambition, and the cost of reinvention: From sibling dynamics shaped by patriarchy to marriage as a strategic turning point, this conversation unpacks the systems that shape Tara’s choices—and the psychological and moral fractures that come with upward mobility in a world where nothing is freely given.   📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Don’t miss this week’s companion list featuring 29 South Asian Books—a mix of brand new novels and essential backlist books that pair beautifully with A Splintering. Patrons will receive a printable checklist to take along on their next library visit! Meet Dur e Aziz Amna Dur e Aziz Amna is the author of A Splintering, winner of the Stanfords Prize for Fiction and a BBC Book Club pick. Her debut novel, American Fever, received the South Asian Book Award and the APALA Award for Literature. Her writing has appeared in major publications, including the New York Times, Financial Times, and Al Jazeera, and she was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2022. Born and raised in Pakistan, she is a graduate of Yale College and the Helen Zell Writers’ Program at the University of Michigan, and currently lives in the United States. A Splintering is available on bookstore shelves now in the U.S. and the U.K. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! My Best Books of 2025 NEW BOOK LIST: 29 South Asian Books to Fall In Love With Sam Wachman Interview (The Sunflower Boys) Join the April Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (The Sunflower Boys) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) A Splintering by Dur e Aziz Amna American Fever by Dur e Aziz Amna The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante Dear Monica Lewinsky by Julia Langbein Interviews with History and Conversations with Power by Oriana Fallaci Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Dur e Aziz Amna on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Gill Paul discusses Scandalous Women, the 1960s publishing world, and the iconic female authors who redefined storytelling in this backlist feature. Let's get some literary hinges to our reading lives in this backlist feature. This week's Book Gang conversation brings us together with international bestselling author Gill Paul to talk about Scandalous Women. Paul transports readers into the electric, high-stakes world of 1960s publishing, where two women didn’t just write bestselling books—they changed what women were allowed to write about at all. If you’ve ever wondered what really happens behind the scenes of the books we love (the deals, the risks, the moments that quietly reshape an entire industry), this conversation is such a treat with a true insider. In this fascinating conversation, we discuss: 📚 From editor to international bestselling author: Gill reflects on her journey from working inside publishing to becoming a globally recognized novelist, sharing what she understands now about the industry that many writers and readers often misunderstand. 📚 The “two Jackies” who changed publishing forever: We dive into the lives of Jacqueline Susann and Jackie Collins—their controversial novels, massive commercial success, and the backlash they faced for writing openly about female ambition and desire. 📚 Recreating the 1960s publishing world from the inside out: Through research and the lens of a fictional editorial assistant, Gill brings to life the high-stakes, male-dominated publishing landscape where readers get an inside look at how the publishing industry worked in the 1960s. 📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Don’t miss this week’s companion list featuring 43 Fascinating Books About Authors and Publishing to celebrate Scandalous Women. I am including my all-time favorites and a few new releases I can't wait to read. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit! Meet Gill Paul Gill Paul is the author of thirteen historical novels, which have sold over a million copies, hit the top five in the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Toronto Globe & Mail bestseller lists, and have been translated into twenty-four languages. Her novel SCANDALOUS WOMEN is about Jackie Collins, Jacqueline Susann, and the misogyny of the 1960s publishing industry. Gill lives in London where she swims year-round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.   Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 43 Fascinating Books About Authors and Publishing Join the April Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (The Sunflower Boys) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Scandalous Women by Gill Paul Valley of the Dolls by Jacqueline Susann Hollywood Wives by Jackie Collins Lucky by Jackie Collins Love Stories series The Manhattan Girls by Gill Paul Lovely Me by Barbara Seaman The World is Full of Married Men by Jackie Collins Lady Boss How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie Kanner’s Syndrome Life with Jackie by Irving Mansfield Sex and the Single Girl by Helen Gurley Brown Peyton Place by Grace Metalious Jackie Collins on Loose Women Barbara Cartland and Jackie Collins Confrontation Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Gill Paul on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Sam Wachman joins us as our April MomAdvice Book Club pick to discuss The Sunflower Boys, a powerful coming-of-age story set during the war in Ukraine. This week, Sam Wachman joins Book Gang to discuss The Sunflower Boys, our April MomAdvice Book Club pick. This story offers a remarkable blend of the tenderness of boyhood and the brutality of war, set against the backdrop of the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, bringing to life its heartbreaking history. As the brothers in this story undertake a harrowing journey across a war-torn landscape, a love of art becomes both guide and witness, leading these two boys toward hope and a desperate reunion with their father. Wachman offers a war chronicle and an intimate, profoundly human portrayal of the enduring spirit of family, deeply humanizing the Ukrainian struggle. In this remarkable conversation, we discuss: 📚 From the classroom to the page: Before writing The Sunflower Boys, Sam Wachman taught English to primary school students in Ukraine—an experience that deeply shaped the emotional core of this novel. We discuss how those relationships with Ukrainian youth helped him build Artem’s voice with such tenderness, specificity, and care. 📚 Art as structure, memory, and survival: One of the most striking elements of this novel is its structure—100 chapters shaped by Artem’s sketches. Sam shares how this artistic framework guided not just the pacing of the story but also its emotional rhythm. 📚 Writing war through a child’s lens: Drawing from his time working with Ukrainian families and refugees, Sam approached this story with a deep sense of responsibility. We talk about how he balanced honesty with restraint while writing from a 12-year-old’s perspective—capturing fear, confusion, and resilience without overwhelming the reader—and why that lens might be the most powerful way to understand the human cost of war.   📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Don’t miss this week’s companion list featuring  24 books about siblings, inspired by this week's story of brothers. I am including my all-time favorites and a few new releases I can't wait to read. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit! Meet Sam Wachman Sam Wachman is a writer from Cambridge, Massachusetts with Ukrainian roots. His work has appeared in Sonora Review, Berkeley Fiction Review, and River Styx. Before writing The Sunflower Boys, he taught English to primary schoolers in central Ukraine and worked with refugee families across Europe and the United States. This deeply affecting novel is his debut. Mentioned in this episode: Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you'd like to keep the conversation going, you're invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on April 30th at 8 PM ET, where we'll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%. Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 24 Books About Siblings Join the April Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (The Sunflower Boys) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) The Sunflower Boys by Sam Wachman Gays Reading Podcast Open, Heaven by Seán Hewitt Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Sam Wachman on Instagram or His Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter  

Rebecca Lehmann discusses The Beheading Game, a lyrical reimagining of Anne Boleyn awakening after her execution to reclaim her story. This week, we're stepping into a story we think we know and unsettling it completely. Rebecca Lehmann joins Book Gang to talk about The Beheading Game, a bold and genre-bending debut, with Anne Boleyn awakening in her coffin, gathering herself—quite literally—and setting out into the world. But rather than a fast-paced tale of revenge, this novel unfolds as a deeply moving, introspective journey through grief, motherhood, class, and the stories history tells about women. Together, we explore what it means to reframe a figure so often reduced to scandal, how poetic language shapes narrative, and why this story lingers in the quiet spaces of reckoning rather than spectacle. In this fascinating conversation, we explore: 📚 From Poet to Novelist: Rebecca shares how her background as an award-winning poet shaped the language and structure of this novel, what the Iowa Writers’ Workshop taught her about craft, and what she had to unlearn when stepping into long-form fiction. 📚 Reimagining Anne Boleyn After Death: We dive into the unforgettable opening scene—Anne awakening in her coffin and sewing her head back onto her body—and what it meant to begin the story at the end. Rebecca discusses how she approached writing Anne not as a legend, but as a woman processing the collapse of her life, her marriage, and her legacy. 📚 Motherhood, Memory, and Reckoning: At its heart, this is a story about a mother trying to make sense of what she’s lost. We talk about Anne’s longing for her daughter, Elizabeth —the emotional core of the novel —and how this reimagining invites readers to see her not as a cautionary tale but as a fully realized woman.   📚📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don’t miss this week’s companion book list with 17 Tudor Books—perfect for readers who want to stay in this world a little longer. Patrons will receive a weekly printable checklist for their next library visit! Meet Rebecca Lehmann Rebecca Lehmann is an award-winning poet and essayist and the author of three poetry collections, including Ringer, which won the AWP Donald Hall Prize. She holds an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and is an associate professor of English and Gender & Women’s Studies at Saint Mary's College. Her work has appeared in The American Poetry Review, The Kenyon Review, NPR’s The Slowdown, and more. She lives in Indiana with her family.   Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 17 Tudor Books to Explore the Original Royal Drama Join the April Book Club 4/30 at 8 PM ET (The Sunflower Boys) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann The Tudors Wolf Hall Books by Hilary Mantel A Cosmology of Monsters by Shaun Hamill Kelly Link Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder The Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Rebecca Lehmann on Instagram Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter  

In The Lady’s Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness, Sarah Ramey shares her journey through chronic illness and the medical system’s blind spots. This week, we're bringing forward a powerful 2022 conversation with Sarah Ramey, author of The Lady's Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness, whose novel was selected as a MomAdvice Book Club Book the year that this conversation was recorded. This discussion remains as urgent and resonant today as when it first aired, offering an unflinching look at chronic illness, medical bias, and the stories women are too often forced to carry alone. In this episode, we also discuss the complexities of the mind-body connection, the role of privilege in accessing care, and the turning point that led Sarah toward healing through functional medicine. Anne Patchett featured The Lady's Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness in her "If You Haven't Read This Book, It's New to You" series for Parnassus Books. She described it as crackling, electrifying, funny, and fast-paced—a book that will outrage you and one you won't be able to put down.  I co-sign this recommendation and am proud to pull this out from our studio vault as we celebrate this month's book club book, The Mad Wife, and the ways women's health has been so misunderstood.   In this spoiler-filled conversation: 📚 A deeply personal look at life before and after chronic illness: Sarah reflects on her "B.C." life—before chronic illness—and what it means to lose, grieve, and reconstruct identity when your body no longer cooperates. 📚 Unpacking medical gaslighting and gender bias in healthcare: From being dismissed as "mentally ill" to navigating systemic disbelief, we explore why women's pain is so often minimized—and what must change within the medical system. 📚 Listening to hundreds of women—and finding patterns in pain: Drawing from interviews with over 200 women, Sarah shares the common threads in their experiences, the emotional toll of carrying those stories, and how movements like #MeToo helped create space for this conversation.   📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's NEW companion list with 24 Medical Drama Books to Get Your Heart Racing, available to reserve now for your best weekend ever. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!   Meet Sarah Ramey Sarah Ramey is a writer and musician (known as Wolf Larsen) living in Tucson, Arizona. She received an MFA in creative nonfiction writing from Columbia University, and was a blogger for President Obama’s 2008 campaign. She is the recipient of a Whiting Foundation grant for nonfiction, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation residency grant, and has been featured in The Paris Review, NPR, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Ms. Magazine, Salon, Refinery 29, LitHub, and The Washingtonian. The Lady’s Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness was an Amazon Editor’s Pick for Best Memoirs, it was a starred selection for Publisher’s Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, and Booklist, and it was chosen as one of the best books of 2020 by BookPage. Sarah has been living with serious chronic pain and illness for seventeen years, and The Lady’s Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness is her first book.   Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 24 Medical Drama Books to Get Your Heart Racing Join the March Book Club 3/26 at 8 PM ET (The Mad Wife) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) You With the Sad Eyes by Christina Applegate The Lady’s Handbook for Mysterious Illness by Sarah Ramey Ann Patchett on The Lady's Handbook for Her Mysterious Illness Unwell Women by Elinor Cleghorn Chronic Pain is Surprisingly Easy to Treat Sarno The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk Katherine May Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Sarah Ramey on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Bestselling author Meagan Church returns to discuss our March Book Club selection, The Mad Wife, and its whirlwind success. This month, we welcome Meagan Church back to Book Gang to celebrate our March Reader's Choice selection, The Mad Wife—the most-voted book by our community. Meagan first joined us earlier in her writing journey to discuss the inspiration behind this story. Now she returns following the novel's breakout success, including appearances on the bestseller lists and recognition as a Barnes & Noble Fiction Pick. In this follow-up conversation, we talk about how Life has changed since The Mad Wife reached readers around the country—from touring and meeting fans to seeing Lulu's story resonate with audiences. We also take a lighter turn with a fun round of writer habits, reading life confessions, and quickfire questions designed to help listeners get to know Meagan beyond the page. In this spoiler-free conversation with my friend, we explore: 📚 Celebrating a bestselling moment: Meagan reflects on The Mad Wife becoming a Barnes & Noble Fiction Pick and landing on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. 📚 Life after publication: From book tours to meeting readers face-to-face, Meagan shares how the response to Lulu's story has shaped her perspective on storytelling and future projects. 📚 Getting to know the writer: In a fun closing segment, Meagan talks about her writing rituals, reading Life, favorite bookstores, and the habits that keep her creative process moving. 📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's NEW companion list with 24 Medical Drama Books to Get Your Heart Racing, available to reserve now for your best weekend ever. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!   Meet Meagan Church Meagan Church is the Southern indie bestselling author of The Girls We Sent Away, The Last Carolina Girl , and The Mad Wife, this month's Barnes & Noble Book fiction pick. She writes to tell grounded stories that explore the complexity of human nature. Her historical fiction chronicles the plight and fight of unheard voices of the past. After receiving a B.A. in English from Indiana University, Meagan built a career as a storyteller and freelance writer for brands, blogs, and organizations. She is an adjunct professor for Drexel University's MFA in Creative Writing program, helping authors tell their own stories through editing, coaching, and workshops. A Midwesterner by birth, she now lives in North Carolina with her high school sweetheart, three children, and a plethora of pets.   Mentioned in this episode: Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you'd like to keep the conversation going, you're invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on March 26th at 8 PM ET, where we'll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions WITH MEAGAN. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%. Download Today's Show Transcript (Scroll down to view second episode) Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 24 Medical Drama Books to Get Your Heart Racing Join the March Book Club 3/26 at 8 PM ET (The Mad Wife) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Unmasking Hysteria in The Mad Wife Podcast Meagan's spoiler episode The Last Carolina Girl by Meagan Church The Girls We Sent Away by Meagan Church The Mad Wife by Meagan Church Cleary Bookstore The Mad Wife Spotify Playlist Story Genius by Lisa Cron Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner Everything is Spiritual by Rob Bell The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien Orbital by Samatha Harvey The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett Hit the Road with Annie Hartnett Podcast Shark Heart by Emily Habeck How Shark Heart Transformed Emily Habeck and Her Readers Olivia Muenter - Such a Bad Influence Podcast  The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Parnassus Books The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect with Meagan Church on Instagram or her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Kate Schatz joins the show to discuss Where the Girls Were, a novel inspired by the hidden history of maternity homes and the young women sent away during the 1960s. This week, Kate Schatz joins the Book Gang podcast to discuss her adult fiction debut, Where the Girls Were, a novel that explores a little-discussed chapter of American history: the maternity homes that housed more than a million young women during the 1950s and 1960s. Drawing inspiration from her own family's haunting history and years of research, Schatz brings readers into the world of a teenage prodigy sent away to give birth in secret just weeks before graduating high school. In our conversation, we discuss how the story first took shape, the transition from writing nonfiction about activism and history to crafting a deeply researched novel, and the realities of maternity homes in the mid-twentieth century. Schatz also shares some of the surprising details uncovered during her research. In this fascinating conversation, we explore: 📚 From Rad Women to Fiction: Kate shares her journey from bestselling nonfiction author and activist to novelist, revealing how writing Where the Girls Were challenged her craft and deepened her understanding of history, activism, and personal storytelling. 📚 The Family Story Behind the Novel: Schatz shares how learning about her mother's experience with pregnancy and closed adoption in the mid-20th century shaped the inspiration and research behind the book. 📚 Uncovering Hidden Histories: We discuss the surprising and sometimes shocking research Kate unearthed about maternity homes, women's health, and the realities faced by girls in the 1960s, including the curious role of rabbits in pregnancy tests. 📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's NEW companion list with 27 Books About the 1960s to escape into another timeline, available to reserve now for your best weekend ever. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit! Meet Kate Schatz KATE SCHATZ is a New York Times bestselling author, public speaker, writing teacher, and queer feminist parent who's been talking, writing, and teaching about race, gender, social justice, and equity for many years. Her books include the novel Where the Girls Were; Do the Work: An Anti-Racist Activity Book, with W. Kamau Bell, the comedian and Emmy-winning host of CNN's United Shades of America; the "Rad Women" book series (including Rad American Women A-Z, Rad Women Worldwide, and Rad American History A-Z), which have sold over 300,000 copies and been translated into four languages; and Rid of Me: A Story, published in 2007 as part of the cult-favorite 33 ⅓ series. Kate has taught writing and Women's Studies at Brown University, Rhode Island College, San Jose State, and UC Santa Cruz. Born and raised in San Jose, California, she lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her wife, their three kids, and their many pets. Where the Girls Were is her fiction debut and is available on store shelves now. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 27 Books About the 1960s Join the March Book Club 3/26 at 8 PM ET (The Mad Wife) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Where the Girls Were by Kate Schatz Do the Work: An Antiracist Activity Book by  W. Kamau Bell & Kate Schatz Rad American Women by Kate Schatz Rad Women Worldwide by Kate Schatz Rad Girls Can by Kate Schatz Rad American History by Kate Schatz Kate Schatz Rabbit Test Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women's Health Book Collective The Girls Who Went Away by Ann Fessler Saints for All Occasions by J Courtney Sullivan When Abortion Was a Crime by Leslie J Reagan Wake Up Little Susie by Rickie Solinger Relinquished by Gretchen Sisson My Mother's Daughter by Tracy Clark-Flory Want Me by Tracy Clark-Flory Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Kate Schatz on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Rachel Hochhauser joins us to discuss her debut novel, Lady Tremaine, a reimagining of Cinderella told from the perspective of its most misunderstood figure. This week, we're stepping back into a story we think we know, and turning it inside out. Rachel Hochhauser joins us to talk about her debut novel, Lady Tremaine, a bold and lyrical reimagining of Cinderella told from the perspective of its most misunderstood figure. Together, we explore what it means to reclaim a villain, the power structures embedded in fairy tales, and the quiet, often invisible labor of women navigating survival in a world that offers them very little protection. This conversation is full of trivia, with fascinating tidbits about falcons to reimagining the hinges of one of our favorite fairy tales. In this fascinating conversation, we explore: 📚 From Puzzle Maker to Published Debut: Rachel walks us through her emotional journey to publication — from manuscript to agent to book deal — and reflects on the realities of the debut journey, while celebrating how her two unique jobs intertwine. Don't worry, we DO talk about her jigsaw puzzle process! 📚 Rewriting a Villain's Origin Story: Rachel shares the first spark behind telling Cinderella from Lady Tremaine's perspective and the challenge of reshaping a fixed fairy tale into something historically grounded, emotionally layered, and narratively new. 📚 Crafting Voice, Research, and Power We explore the lyrical rhythm of her prose, the fascinating research behind the scenes with the falcon, and how the rivalry between Etheldreda and the Queen allowed her to examine power, motherhood, and structural limits placed on women in a way that she's excited to share with the next generation of readers. 📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with 31 Fairy Tale Retellings, available to reserve now for your best weekend ever. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!   Meet Rachel Hochhauser Rachel Hochhauser is a writer and co-founder of Piecework, a cult-favorite puzzle brand. Raised in Santa Barbara, she studied at New York University and earned her master's in fiction from the University of Southern California. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two daughters. Lady Tremaine is her debut novel and available on store shelves on March 3rd.   Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 31 Fairy Tale Retellings to Enchant Your Reading Life The Best Books I Read in 2025 (Full List) Join the March Book Club 3/26 at 8 PM ET (The Mad Wife) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser Returning to Magical Realism with Eowyn Ivey (Podcast Episode) Circe by Madeline Miller The Good Wife of Bath by Karen Brooks The Beheading Game by Rebecca Lehmann Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Rachel Hochhauser on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Aisha Hassan discusses her debut novel, When the Fireflies Dance, a moving family saga set in Lahore and the research inspired by real stories of bonded labor. In this week's episode of Book Gang, I'm excited to share my conversation with debut novelist Aisha Hassan about her first novel, When the Fireflies Dance. This moving family saga is set in Lahore and draws on real-life stories of bonded labor in Pakistan's brick kilns. The narrative follows one family's struggle for survival, dignity, and hope after the loss of their son. During our discussion, we explore Aisha's journey to publication, the intricate construction of her novel, and the important responsibility of addressing social injustices through fiction. In this informative conversation, we explore: 📚 A Steady Road to Publication: Aisha reflects on the early spark for the novel, her process of finding an agent, and what the reality of a debut journey looked like behind the scenes, including the quieter, less glamorous parts of bringing a first book into the world. 📚 Building Lahore on the Page: We talk about her early visits to brick kilns, the environmental realities of red dust and smoke that shape the novel's atmosphere, and how she constructed a world where ecological harm and economic injustice are ever-present forces. 📚 Family, Memory, and Revelation: A death in the family shadows every chapter. Aisha explains her decision to reveal trauma in fragments, the symbolism of the fireflies in her story, and what she hopes readers understand about bonded labor after turning the final page.   📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with 41 Family Drama Books to Escape Your Real Life, available to reserve now for your best weekend ever. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit! Meet Aisha Hassan Aisha Hassan is an award-winning writer living and working in London. A graduate of the University of Oxford's prestigious Creative Writing Master's programme and a Curtis Brown Creative alumna, Aisha's play Pickled Mangoes was performed at Soho Theatre, and her poetry has appeared in Under the Radar and Campus magazines. WHEN THE FIREFLIES DANCE is her debut novel and has been longlisted for the Bridport Novel Award and Hachette's Mo Siewcharran Prize, and shortlisted for the London Writers Award. As a child, she lived in Lahore, Pakistan. Mentioned in this episode: Download Today's Show Transcript Buy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year! NEW BOOK LIST: 41 Family Drama Books to Escape Real Life Join the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means) 2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections) When the Fireflies Dance by Aisha Hassan (KINDLE UNLIMITED) The Whalebone Theater by Joanna Quinn White Mughals by William Dalrymple The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini The Bee Keeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali A Splintering Dur e Aziz Amna A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.   Connect With Us: Join the Book Gang Patreon Connect With Aisha Hassan on Instagram or Her Website Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdvice Get My Happy List Newsletter Get the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Debut author Lauren Morrow joins us to discuss Little Movements, a sharp, funny, and deeply perceptive literary novel set in the world of professional dance.Lauren Morrow joins Book Gang to discuss her satirical novel, Little Movements, which follows Layla, a Black choreographer navigating a fragile marriage, a long-delayed hope of motherhood, and a career-defining opportunity at a prestigious arts institution.When Layla relocates alone to create a new piece from the ground up, she finds herself confronting not just the physical demands of dance but the subtler pressures of tokenization, institutional expectations, and who gets to define what her work "means."Drawing from Morrow's background in dance and arts publicity, Little Movements offers an insider's view of how cultural organizations frame progress, how money shapes artistic freedom, and how women—especially Black women—are often asked to carry symbolic weight they never volunteered for.In this fascinating conversation, we explore:📚 From MFA to debut novel: Lauren takes us back to the earliest seed of Little Movements, how her time at the Helen Zell Writers' Program shaped the book, and what her path to publication looked like once the manuscript was complete. We also talk candidly about celebrating the "yes" and what it really entails to debut with a literary novel.📚 Writing the politics of art: We dig into the behind-the-scenes realities of the dance world as a Black woman, including institutional language, and the quiet pressure placed on artists to make their work "say something," for others.📚 Capturing movement on a page: Lauren shares how she approached putting dance on the page, given its inherent visual and kinetic qualities. We discuss the techniques she used in her prose to make readers feel the movement on the page, even if they haven't danced themselves.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with These 21 Books About Ballet Took Me Back to the Barre to reserve now to celebrate the arts! Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!Meet Lauren MorrowLauren Morrow studied dance and creative writing at Connecticut College and earned an MFA in fiction from the University of Michigan's Helen Zell Writers' Program. She was a Kimbilio Fellow, an Aspen Words Emerging Writer Fellow, and the recipient of two Hopwood Awards, among other prizes. Her writing has appeared in Ploughshares and The South Carolina Review. She worked in publicity at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and is now a publicity manager at Dutton, Plume, and Tiny Reparations Books. Originally from St. Louis, she lives in Brooklyn. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: These 21 Books About Ballet Took Me Back to the BarreJoin the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Little Movements by Lauren MorrowJunie by Erin Crosby EckstineAlvin Ailey's RevelationsDance Theater of HarlemAiley IINaima CosterHeads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-SpiresBefore You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle EvansLuster by Raven LeilaniCome and Get It by Kiley ReidJames by Percival EverettErasure by Percival EverettAmerican FictionThe Spectacular by Fiona DavisThe Bright Years by Sarah DamoffSarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast InterviewThe Feath3r TheoryBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Lauren Morrow on Instagram or Her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Nancy Johnson joins us to discuss People of Means, our February Book Club selection for Black History Month, a powerful, moving dual-timeline novel.Nancy Johnson joins Book Gang to discuss her richly layered second novel, which explores race, class, ambition, and resistance in 1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago, offering readers a perfectly baked reading experience for Black History Month.In this deeply thoughtful conversation, Nancy reflects on writing a novel that spans decades—from the Jim Crow South and the Fisk University protest movement to the corporate corridors of the early 1990s and the aftermath of the Rodney King verdict. We talk about generational inheritance, the pressures of Black excellence, and the quiet, everyday decisions that shape history just as much as headline-making acts of protest.Nancy also shares what it was like to speak at Fisk University, a moment that mirrors the heart of People of Means, and how beginning her fiction career later in life shaped both her confidence and her creative freedom. From navigating second-novel pressure to crafting two distinct voices for Freda and Tulip, this conversation offers insight into both the craft of writing and the moral questions at the center of the book.In this enlightening conversation, we explore:📚 Privilege, "Black excellence," and the cost of being exceptional: Through Freda and Tulip, People of Means interrogates the idea of excellence as both inheritance and burden. Nancy unpacks how upward mobility creates opportunity while also setting expectations that can be overwhelming.📚 Dual timelines as moral mirrors:  Spanning 1960s Nashville and 1992 Chicago, the novel places two women of means at pivotal historical moments—the Fisk University protests during Jim Crow and the Rodney King and Latasha Harlins aftermath. Nancy shares how she differentiated Freda's and Tulip's voices while maintaining an emotional throughline.📚 Everyday resistance and the responsibility of those with "means": Rather than centering grand acts of activism, People of Means asks what responsibility looks like in daily life—at work, within families, and in moments where silence feels safer than speaking up.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list: 29 Dual-Timeline Novels that use this as the heart of their story structure. I am including my all-time favorites and a few new releases I can't wait to read. Patrons will receive weekly printable checklists for their next library visit!Meet Nancy JohnsonA native of Chicago's South Side, Nancy Johnson worked for more than a decade as an Emmy-nominated, award-winning television journalist at CBS and ABC affiliates nationwide.Her second novel, People of Means, published by William Morrow/HarperCollins, was named one of PEOPLE Magazine's Most Anticipated Books of 2025, with praise from NPR, Real Simple, Southern Living, Woman's World, and more.Her debut novel, The Kindest Lie, was a New York Times Editors' Choice and received widespread critical acclaim. A graduate of Northwestern University and UNC–Chapel Hill, Nancy lives in downtown Chicago, where she works as a director of brand journalism and storytelling for a major healthcare nonprofit.Mentioned in this episode:Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you'd like to keep the conversation going, you're invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on February 26 at 8 PM ET, where we'll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%.Download Today's TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 29 Dual-Timeline Books to Read NowJoin the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)People of Means by Nancy JohnsonThe Kindest Lie by Nancy JohnsonFisk University SpeechDiane NashThe Vanishing Half by Brit BennettBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Nancy Johnson on Instagram or Her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Journalist Christine Kuehn joins us to discuss Family of Spies and her gripping emotional reckoning with her family’s shocking personal ties to Nazi espionage.The book begins in 1994, when a single letter from a historian pierces Kuehn’s quiet suburban life, revealing a secret she never suspected. Kuehn discovered that members of her own family were Nazi intelligence agents. What follows is a thirty-year investigation that pulls from FBI files, government and family archives, photographs, correspondence, and interviews.In today's Book Gang conversation, Kuehn reflects on reporting on her own lineage, the ethical and emotional stakes of uncovering a truth that implicates the people who raised her, and how she structured the book across dual timelines to hold both the global history and her personal reckoning.This episode airs the week of National Holocaust Remembrance Day. This moment calls us to remember not only the victims of Nazi violence, but also the systems, enablers, and silences that allowed it to spread. Christine now uses her research to support Jewish organizations, which you will hear about in today's conversation as we unbox the past together.In this emotional conversation, we explore:📚 A letter that rewrote a life: Christine walks us through the 1994 moment that sent her on a decades-long quest for truth. We talk about disbelief, denial, and what it feels like to realize your family story is not the one you were told.📚 Investigating your own inheritance: Drawing on her background as a journalist, Christine explains how her research methods evolved as new archives opened and technology advanced, how she assessed unreliable or conflicting memories, and what it was like to work alongside her husband while racing against her father’s dementia.📚 Espionage hidden in plain sight: We unpack the book’s most chilling revelations. Nazi agents embedded in 1930s Hawaii, social fronts built on glamour and charm, and how everyday excess eventually drew the FBI’s attention.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: This week’s companion book list features 22 Books About Spies that include both fiction and nonfiction titles to give Christine's book a landing place. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Christine KuehnChristine Kuehn was cocooned in the sanctity of a quiet suburban life when, in 1994, a letter from a historian pierced that bubble, sending her on a thirty-year quest to uncover a horrendous family secret kept hidden for half a century. Following a career in journalism, public relations, and nonprofits, Christine now lives in Maryland with her husband, close to their three grown children. Family of Spies is her debut book. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: 22 Books About Spies to Read NowJoin the February Book Club 2/26 at 8 PM ET (People of Means)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)People of Means by Nancy JohnsonMilo Todd is Reclaiming Trans History (The Lilac People)Family of Spies by Christine KuhnBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoTable for Two by Amor TowlesFrozen River by Ariel LawhonAt Dawn We Slept by Gordon W. PrangeShirley Temple in HawaiiRoyal HawaiianThe World’s 30 Greatest Women Spies by Kurt D. SingerBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Christine Kuehn on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

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:📚 Writing inside internet culture: Lior discusses the creative risks of anchoring a debut novel so firmly in 2020s livestream culture, why she wasn’t afraid of the book “dating” itself, and how she captured the chaos of livestream chats—misspellings, slang, trolls, and all—while keeping the story readable and propulsive.📚 Performance, pain, and the cost of being seen: We unpack the escalating hot pepper challenges, Dell’s physical vulnerability, and the darker questions the book raises about what audiences are willing to watch (and what creators are willing to endure) when financial survival depends on strangers.📚 Loneliness, debt, and the gig-economy cliff edge: Beneath the dark humor and inventive form, Just Watch Me is a deeply human story about grief, medical debt, and the feast-or-famine reality of online survival. Lior reflects on how she wanted readers to feel about Dell by the end—and what the novel reveals about our collective longing to be noticed.📚📚  BONUS BOOK LIST: This week’s companion list features 43 Debut Books of 2026, including every upcoming release currently on my radar (plus future podcast guests) so you can start reserving library holds and building your TBR early. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Lior TorenbergLior Torenberg’s work has been published by One Story, MAYDAY, the Poetry Society of New York, and others. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from New York University and is a graduate of the Lighthouse Writers Workshop’s Book Project. Just Watch Me is her first novel. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: These Debut Books of 2026 Should Not Be MissedJoin the January Book Club 1/29 at 8 PM ET (Eleanore of Avignon)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozierJust Watch Me by Lior TorenbergNYC Hot Sauce ExpoTTYL Series by Lauren MyracleMargot’s Got Money Troubles by Rufi ThorpeHot OnesBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Lior Torenberg on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Elizabeth DeLozier joins us to discuss Eleanore of Avignon, our January Book Club pick, and her bold debut, shaped by plague, medicine, and female power.In this free conversation, Elizabeth DeLozier takes us behind the scenes of Eleanore of Avignon—a richly researched historical novel set during the Black Death, written during the modern pandemic that reshaped how many of us think about illness, fear, and survival.Elizabeth shares how long it took to bring this ambitious debut from first idea to finished book, what it was like to pitch such a high-stakes story as a first novel, and how her background in medicine deeply informed the way she wrote Eleanore’s work as a healer and midwife. We also talk about writing outside of traditional MFA pathways, balancing historical plausibility with emotionally resonant characters, and what surprised her most while researching 14th-century Avignon.Gratitude to Our Show Patrons: This week's episode is open to all listeners thanks to generous donations made through Buy Me a Coffee and your community memberships. If you’d like to keep the conversation going, you’re invited to join our Patreon Book Club chat on January 29 at 8 PM ET, where we’ll dive deeper into spoilers, themes, and reader reactions. Membership is $5 a month, or you can prepay for the year and save 10%. In this fascinating conversation, we explore:📚 Writing a big, ambitious debut: From outlining and pitching to finding an agent and selling the book, Elizabeth walks us through the long road to publication and what she learned along the way.📚 Medicine, midwifery, and historical research: How Elizabeth’s medical background shaped Eleanore’s role as a healer, the realities of early medical practices, and the most astonishing details she uncovered while researching the period. 📚 Plague stories then and now: The eerie parallels between 1347 and the present day, why readers keep returning to historical plague narratives, and how Eleanore of Avignon sits in conversation with books like Hamnet.📚 📚 BONUS WEEKLY BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion list with 18 Unforgettable Midwife Books, perfect for readers who want to explore these themes further. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Elizabeth DeLozierElizabeth DeLozier holds a BA in Spanish literature, a BS in biological anthropology, and a doctorate in physical therapy. A practicing pelvic floor physical therapist, avid traveler, animal lover, and history nerd, she lives in Southern California with her husband, twin sons, and rescue dogs. Eleanore of Avignon is her debut novel, and her sophomore novel, The Whitechapel Full Moon Society, will be published in 2026.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 18 Unforgettable Midwife BooksJoin the January Book Club 1/29 at 8 PM ET (Eleanore of Avignon)2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Eleanore of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozierabookoliveThe Great Mortality by John KellyStation ElevenA Distant Mirror by Barbara TuchmanHamnetHamnet by Maggie O’FarrellThe God of the Woods by Liz MooreTaylor Swift - The End of an EraThe White Chapel Full Moon Society by Elizabeth DeLozierBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Elizabeth DeLozier on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter 

We read a total of 443 books and are excited to share twenty-five of our favorite titles from our 2025 reading list. Explore these new releases alongside our favorite backlist books for your best reading year yet.We read a total of 443 books and are excited to share twenty-five of our favorite titles from our 2025 reading list. Explore these new releases alongside our favorite backlist books for your best reading year yet.We invite you to browse our book lists featuring 25 of our favorites. Patrons will receive a printable checklist with today's book titles and some of our honorable mentions.Mentioned in this episode:SUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon!Meet Our Upcoming Book Gang Guests (Winter Season Announcement)The 2026 Book Club (12 Selections & How to Join)Larry’s Top 25 Books of 2025 (Including Honorable Mentions)Amy’s Top 25 Books of 2025 (FULL LIST)Connect With Us:Connect with Larry on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation)

Head to the Arctic with Nathaniel Ian Miller and discover the true story that inspired his debut, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, for our final episode of 2025.For our final episode of 2025, we’re bringing forward a beloved conversation from the Book Gang archives with debut novelist Nathaniel Ian Miller, discussing his magical winter read, The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, and the enduring pull of a great winter story with found-family themes. This episode originally aired for patrons in 2023, and it felt like the perfect moment to share it more widely, along with some gentle reflections from this year, including YOUR best book club book of the year.In this funny conversation, we discuss:📚 Writing at the edge of the world: How Nathaniel’s participation in the Arctic Circle Expeditionary Program—partly born out of the very real cost barriers of research—became foundational to this charming book’s atmosphere and authenticity.📚 The freedom of a “fictional memoir”: Why Sven’s story demanded a looser, more intimate form, how his character surprised Nathaniel as the novel evolved, and why this mid-thirties coming-of-age story feels as expansive as the frozen landscape itself.📚 How real historical events anchored the characters and scenes in this story: From writing morally complex moments that challenged the author’s own convictions to rethinking the historical role of women in polar narratives, Nathaniel unpacks the layered choices that give Sven’s world its depth.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's celebration of winter reads- 25 Impeccable Winter Books to Savor by the Firelight. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Nathaniel Ian MillerNathaniel Ian Miller is the author of the critically acclaimed debut novel The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, longlisted for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize and translated into five languages. A former journalist for newspapers across New Mexico, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Montana, he now lives with his family on a farm in Vermont. The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven and Red Dog Farm, his second novel, are both available on store shelves now.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!NEW BOOK LIST: 25 Impeccable Winter Books To Savor By the Firelight2026 MomAdvice Book Club Books (All 12 Selections)Brick For Your PhoneHamnet Movie TrailerHow to Read a Book by Monica WoodThe Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian Miller Mosquitoland by David Arnold NYT ReviewSundays with Writers: Mosquitoland by David ArnoldLondon Seance Society by Sarah Penner Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner The Birthday Boys by Dame Beryl BainbridgeExpeditionary program at Arctic CircleSalomon AndreeThe Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain A Woman in the Polar Night by Christiane Ritter Refiners Fire by Mark Helprin Power of One by Bryce Courtenay Borstal Boy by Brendan Behan Office Space FlairWanny WoldstadSvalbard’s DaughtersJohn Franklin’s Canadian expeditionBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Nathaniel Ian Miller on Instagram or his WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Get ahead of 2026’s biggest releases this year. We highlight ten must-read backlist books from authors with upcoming titles, so you have your best library day.What could be better than a discussion on 2026’s biggest releases? We wanted to do something fun (and genuinely helpful) to help you plan next year's TBR. Today, Jessica Bearak is back, and she’s bringing her idea to pair readers with books we don’t want slipping through the cracks. We’ve gathered ten brilliant backlist titles from authors with major books arriving next year, so you can reserve your library holds, fill your Kindle, and feel delightfully ahead of the curve before celebrating their next book. Think of it as your literary pre-game for the year ahead.In this fun conversation, we discuss:📚 A literary pre-game you can actually use: Jessica and I kick things off with the ten major 2026 releases we’ve got our eyes on—so you can start plotting your reading year long before the hype machine starts spinning.📚 Backlist gems to read while you wait: We pair each upcoming title with a backlist book you can grab right now at your library or favorite bookstore, giving you something delicious to dive into while you count down to release day.📚What the buzzy lists missed: We close by chatting about the standout books we think deserved more end-of-year attention—because great reads don’t always make the roundups, and we’re here to fix that.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's new book guide! 47 Fresh 2026 Book Releases to Reserve Now. Patrons will receive printable checklists for their next visit to the library!Meet Jessica BearakJessica is a lifelong book lover who embarked on her literary journey at three, immersing herself in childhood classics like “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Phantom Tollbooth.” Jessica actively participates in two in-person book clubs and regularly engages in many online discussions. She has been an invaluable member of the MomAdvice Book Club.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the December Book Club TONIGHT at 8 PM ET (James by Percival Everett)NEW BOOK LIST: 47 Fresh 2026 Book Releases to Reserve NowOnce and Again by Rebecca Serle Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle Friends Are For by Wade Rouse Magic Season by Wade Rouse A Day in the Life of a Book Publicist (Kathleen Carter Episode)Off the Record by Sara Goodman-Confino Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman-Confino Score by Kennedy Ryan Reel by Kennedy Ryan The Kennedy Ryan Phenomenon: Inclusive Narratives with Heart (Kennedy Ryan Episode)Orson Welles Voodoo MacbethDog Person by Camille Pagán The Spectacular Life Lessons from Books About Road Trips with Colleen Oakley (Podcast with Colleen Oakley)A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce CameronStunning Books About Bookstores (Book List)Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagán Meg Shaffer Interview (The Wishing Game)The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer How Braving a Literary Seminar Shaped The Last Story with Meg Shaffer (Interview with Meg Shaffer)The Book Witch by Meg Shaffer The Lost Story by Meg Shaffer Cozy Fantasy Books to Lower Your Stress Levels (Book List)Five by Ilona Bannister All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline The Foursome by Christina Baker Kline A Piece of the World by Christine Baker Kline 35 Books About Twins That Double the Drama (Book List)Christina’s World paintingLiberty Street by Heather Marshall Looking for Jane by Heather MarshallThe Jane Collective All You Have To Do Is Call by Kerri Maher Ask for JaneThe JanesEleanor of Avignon by Elizabeth DeLozier With Love From Harlem by ReShonda Tate The Queen of Sugar Hill by ReShonda Tate Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff Sarah Damoff - The Bright Years Podcast InterviewThe Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect With Jessica on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Join the 2026 MomAdvice Book Club to explore 12 handpicked novels, enjoy lively author chats, and celebrate a year of stories that inspire and delight.Get ready to kick off another unforgettable reading year with the 2026 MomAdvice Book Club. In this episode, I’m unveiling my twelve handpicked selections—an extraordinary lineup of novels that challenge perspective and remind us what it means to live bravely and wholeheartedly.I read widely and intentionally all year so that every MomAdvice pick feels worthy of your time, your library holds, your gift lists, and your precious reading hours. Announcing the selections early means you can gather copies however is easiest for you. Shop the library, used shops, holiday gifting, or straight from your favorite indie bookshop this year.To discover this year's selections, you can head to today's post, which includes all the details, including the recommended format, the reading mood of the novel, and pacing information. Each description also offers the accompanying reader experience for each book.I've also uploaded a podcast that goes through each of these books for those of you who prefer an audio experience with some behind-the-scenes details. Please join me on this reading adventure!This year, your participation in the book club directly supports the podcast and sustains a space where readers can connect deeply over stories that genuinely matter. Thank you for choosing this space to invest in. I never take it for granted!Connect With Us:Join the 2026 Book ClubMake a One-Time Donation to My Show (SO, SO GRATEFUL THIS YEAR!!)Connect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Marisa Kashino turns being new to publishing into a superpower, revealing her surprising journey from first draft to the darkly funny thriller, Best Offer Wins.Being brand-new to publishing turned out to be this author's secret weapon in landing her book deal. This week on Book Gang, we’re stepping into the ruthless, dream-chasing world of real estate with Marisa Kashino, journalist and author of Best Offer Wins. She shares how the freedom from expectations fueled her thriller's creativity and story structure, how her query journey unfolded with unexpected serendipity, and why stepping into fiction opened doors she never imagined… including an adaptation already in the works.In this heartwarming and hilarious conversation, we discuss:📚 From Reporting to Satire – Marisa shares how years of covering bidding wars, desperate buyers, and high-stakes real estate inspired her darkly funny take on ambition. Writing as Margo allowed Marisa to channel humor, frustration, and sharp social commentary she could never express out loud through Margot's antics.📚 Subtle Social Commentary – Margot's Asian American identity informs elements of this story, and Marisa shares personal experiences that have shaped these plot elements that informed Margo’s choices, her humor, and the unexpected ways readers may connect with her story.📚 A Secret Project Turns Big – Marisa kept her novel under wraps until she secured an agent, and now it’s heading toward an adaptation with 20th TV, Hulu, and Greta Lee attached. She talks about the thrill of sharing this milestone, how her family reacted, and the joy of seeing a private creative project reach the world.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's companion book list: 23 Dark Comedy Books That Embrace the Absurd. Patrons will receive printable checklists to take on their next visit to the library!Meet Marisa KashinoMarisa Kashino spent 17 years as a journalist, most recently at The Washington Post, and wrote long-form features and oversaw home design coverage at Washingtonian Magazine. She grew up near Seattle and earned her degree in journalism and political science from the University of Washington. Marisa lives in the DC area with her husband, two dogs, and two cats. Best Offer Wins is her first novel.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the November Book Club TONIGHT at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW BOOK LIST: 23 Dark Comedy Books That Embrace The AbsurdBest Offer Wins by Marisa KashinoThe Writer’s CenterThe Shit No One Tells You About WritingYellowface by R. F. KuangBad Summer People by Emma RosenblumBeefAustin Taylor - Notes on Infinity Podcast InterviewLean In by Sheryl SandburgGreta LeeAllegra Goodman - Isola Podcast InterviewBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Marisa Kashino on InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Discover the writing hack that Emma Pattee uncovered with a creativity coach, which helped her debut novel, Tilt, transition from her Google Drive to publication.Emma Pattee, climate journalist and fiction writer, joins the Book Gang podcast to discuss her heartpounding debut novel, Tilt. In Tilt, we follow a pregnant woman through a single, intense day as an earthquake hits Portland, where Pattee blends the chaos of the city with the intimate messiness of her marriage and motherhood journey.In our virtual walk with Emma through Portland, we explore:📚 How ADHD and journalism shaped her craft– Emma discusses how a creativity coach helped unlock a new writing system that helped her finally move a project off her Google Drive into a finished book. We discuss the heavy and rarely discussed weight of unfinished projects as creatives.📚 Reporting meets fiction – As a climate journalist, Emma discusses her research-heavy novel that involved interviews with geologists, seismic engineers, and first responders, worked off real destruction maps and city-planning data, then translated it into the book we hold in our hands now.📚 Survival, motherhood & climate anxiety intertwined – Tilt uses the impending "Big One" earthquake as a metaphor for Annie's journey to motherhood, where Emma discusses her stream-of-consciousness voice that keeps the reader inside one woman's daylong survival trek and how it intertwines with Emma's personal fears and discoveries.📚 Bonus Book List – These 23 eco fiction books will have you looking at the world in a whole new way. Marvel at our remarkable connection to nature through this incredible stack. Patrons will receive a printable checklist to take on your next library trip.Meet Emma PatteeEmma Pattee is a climate journalist and fiction writer whose work has appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, and more. In 2021, she coined the term "Climate Shadow" to describe an individual's potential impact on climate change. Her debut novel, Tilt, is a National Bestseller, NYT Editor's Choice, and recognized by NPR, Time, Vogue, and Bustle as one of the best books of the year. She lives in Portland, Oregon.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the November Book Club 11/21 at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW BOOK LIST: 23 Eco Fiction Books You'll LoveNEW: 32-Page November Reading Guide & FULLY BOOKED Patron ShowTilt by Emma PatteeHillary RettigAlison Larkin - Home of the American Circus Podcast EpisodeDucks, Newburyport by Lucy EllmannThe Truth About Portland’s Brick Schools Is Scarier Than FictionDr. Katherine HayhoeBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Emma Pattee on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Discover Pagebound, the social reading app by Lucy Zhao & Jennifer Dobak. Learn how to gamify your reading life from quests to forums in today's beginner chat.Ever wish Goodreads had a heart or deeply desired a buddy read for every book in your book stack? It exists. This week, we're stepping inside Pagebound, the new social reading app built by readers for readers, with co-founders Lucy Zhao and Jennifer Dobak.This week's "building block" podcast episode is designed to deepen your reading life and provide a behind-the-scenes look at tools you can use to enhance it. Discover how these two women built a no-AI, reader-first platform that's reimagining how we connect through stories online.In this enlightening conversation, we discuss:📚 The Origin Story: Learn how Lucy Zhao and Jennifer Dobak transformed their shared love of reading into a bold tech venture built from scratch. From late-night coding sessions to their first "scrappy" testers, they share what it really takes to launch a reader-first social platform in an industry long dominated by giants.📚 A Human-Centered Platform: Learn how Pagebound's no-AI promise and book-by-book forum model create genuine connections instead of algorithmic noise. The founders explain why every title deserves its own conversation and how thoughtful design shaped the community from day one.📚 Gamifying the Reading Life: Explore how Pagebound is transforming the way we engage with our books through clever, joy-filled features like reading quests and milestone interactions that encourage active community membership, bringing a sense of adventure back to your reading life.Meet the GuestsLucy Zhao grew up as a cheeky kid, always carrying a book. She studied creative writing and business at the University of Michigan and has spent the last decade leading tech startups and launching products. Her favorite authors include James McBride, Maggie Nelson, and Jonathan Franzen. She lives with her toy aussiedoodle, Libby, and loves ice-cold watermelon slices.Jennifer Dobak studied Economics, French, and Italian at the University of Notre Dame before becoming a software engineer. When she's not coding, she's hanging out at her local indie bookstore. Her favorite authors include Lauren Groff, Mona Awad, and V.E. Schwab. She's a lifelong writer herself and is currently chasing her dream of finishing her own novel.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptBuy Me a Coffee - I'm grateful for your support this year!Join the November Book Club 11/21 at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW: 32-Page November Reading Guide & FULLY BOOKED Patron ShowPageboundFollow Book Gang on Pagebound (let's be friends!)Building Block Episode ICYMI: How the Storygraph App Can EnhanceBuilding Block Episode ICYMI: Get the Most Out of the Libby App (Podcast With the Libby Team)Building Block Episode ICYMI: Improve Your Reading Focus & Memory (Hacks for Readers With ADHD)Building Block Episode ICYMI: The Best Reading Hacks for Chronic PainPhantasma by Kaylie SmithEnchantra by Kaylie SmithThe Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett1984 by George OrwellA Crash Course in Gothic Fiction with Erin Crosby EckstineBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Pagebound on Instagram or their WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Take a crash course in Gothic fiction with Junie author Erin Crosby Eckstine as we trace the genre's origins, evolution, and enduring allure.Erin returns to Book Gang to share what surprised her most about debut life and what she's learned about balancing writing, book promotion, and an ever-growing TikTok community. Then, we dive deep into the eerie, elegant world of Gothic literature — where decaying mansions, stormy moors, and family secrets reflect the darkness within.If you've ever wondered what makes a book Gothic, how the genre evolved from the 18th century to the present day, or how writers can utilize Gothic techniques to explore contemporary fears, this episode is your guided tour through the creeping shadows, courtesy of a former English teacher.In this illuminating conversation, we discuss:📚 Debut Surprises: What Erin learned from releasing Junie and how this political moment is impacting visibility, sales, and future book deals for BIPOC authors like her.📚 A Gothic 101 Deep Dive: Erin breaks down the key elements of Gothic fiction, from its origins in 18th-century England to how modern writers are reimagining it today.📚 Erin's Top 5 Gothic Fiction Recommendations: Erin shares her top five picks for your books that include modern Gothic fiction that continue to illuminate today's anxieties — about identity, race, power, and belonging — through atmosphere and suspense.Meet Erin Crosby EckstineErin Crosby Eckstine is an author of speculative historical fiction. Her debut novel, Junie, was selected for the Good Morning America book club. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Eckstine grew up between the South and Los Angeles before moving to New York City to attend Barnard College. She earned a master's in secondary English education from Stanford University and taught high school English for six years. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their cats. 📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's TWO companion reading guides to continue your Gothic education: 11 Classic Gothic Novels That Started It All and 30 Modern Gothic Novels That Keep the Candle Burning. Patrons will receive printable checklists to take on their next visit to the library!Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptJoin the November Book Club 11/21 at 8 PM ET (Weyward by Emilia Hart)NEW BOOK LIST: 11 Classic Gothic Novels That Started It AllNEW BOOK LIST: 30 Modern Gothic Novels That Keep the Candle BurningJunie by Erin Crosby EckstineHow Family History & Legacy Shaped Junie (Erin Crosby Eckstine's First Episode on Book Gang)Jane Eyre by Charlotte BrontëThe Secret History by Donna TarttThe Odyssey by HomerWuthering Heights by Emily BrontëThe Lives of the BrontësTo Walk Invisible The Brontë SistersKanopy appShirley by Charlotte BrontëVilette by Charlotte BrontëThe Lilac People by Milo ToddBrickBeloved by Toni MorrisonWilliam FaulknerMexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-GarciaThe Hacienda by Isabel CañasThe House of the Spirits by Isabel AllendeWhy Is The New "Wuthering Heights" Movie Stirring Controversy?SaltburnWe Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley JacksonOur Share of the Night by Mariana EnriquezBleak House by Charles Dickens Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Erin Crosby Eckstine on Instagram or their WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Go behind the scenes with Bindery Books to discover their innovative publishing process, where tastemakers reshape how diverse books are made and sold.In this week's episode, we sit down with Matt Kaye, cofounder and CEO of Bindery Books, to explore how his multifaceted career—from traditional publishing to Amazon to Patreon—shaped a bold new model for the book world.Matt shares how the company identifies and empowers their carefully selected Tastemakers who curate, acquire, and co-develop books, offering listeners a rare, inside look at how these partnerships work from manuscript to marketing. Discover how the company tackles its small business challenges and the heartwarming pride that infuses many of its published works, including a project that's even captured the attention of celebrities.In this enlightening conversation, we discuss:📚 From Publishing to Patreon: Matt Kaye shares his unique publishing background and how he merged the best of all his past work experiences in tech and publishing to inspire Bindery's distinctive hybrid model that leverages influencers into the role of tastemakers.📚 The Tastemaker Model: Discover how Bindery curates its diverse lineup of Tastemakers, their roles in involving fans in the publishing process, and the commissions available for each book sale.📚 A New Author Experience: Matt discusses why writers are thriving under this partnership model, from fairer royalties to hands-on creative collaboration and nimble, audience-first publicity cycles.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Instead of our usual companion list, I'm pointing you directly to Bindery Books this week as a thank you for their participation on today's show! Browse their catalog of offerings and meet the incredible tastemakers shaping each story.Meet Matt KayeMatt started his career as a book marketer in publishing (Avalon, Wiley, FSG). After earning a Columbia Business School MBA, he joined the Amazon Books team, where he held several tech roles, including VP of Growth at the seed-stage startup Inkshares, Head of Growth and Engagement at Trulia, and, most recently, Head of Product, Design, and Research at Patreon. Matt now serves as cofounder and CEO of Bindery Books.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptHow the Storygraph App Can Enhance Your Reading Life (Podcast With the CEO)Get the Most Out of the Libby App (Podcast With the Libby Team)Join the October Book Club TONIGHT at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)Bindery BooksHolly Kennedy - The Sideways Life of Denny Vos episodeThe Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly KennedyAudiobraryThe Unmapping by Denise S. RobbinsOf Monsters and Mainframes by Barbara TrueloveBindery's PitchfestThis is Not a Test by Courtney SummersRecipes for an Unexpected Afterlife by Deston J MundenMeg's TearoomDeston MundenBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Bindery Books on Instagram or their WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter 

Debut novelist Olivia Muenter joins Book Gang to discuss her hit debut, Such a Bad Influence, and the dark side of online fame in her real and imagined worlds.What happens when your child becomes famous? In Such a Bad Influence, Olivia Muenter pulls back the curtain on the innocent early days of a fictional family's online moment that went viral, to later reveal the insidious nature of the influencer era when fame and fortune find them.A self-described "recovering influencer," Olivia shares how her debut became a sharp, emotional page-turner and the ways her work as an influencer tied into her more complicated truths in this mixed media thriller.In this revealing conversation, we discuss:📚 Unlearning the Influencer Mindset – Olivia shares what it really means to be a "recovering influencer," the habits that were hardest to break, and how her social media past shaped her storytelling voice.📚 Choosing an Independent Path with Quirk Books – Olivia shares why partnering with a boutique publisher was the right fit for her debut, from the creative freedom it offered to the close-knit collaboration that helped Such a Bad Influence find its perfect audience.📚 The Hidden Cost of Kid Influencing – Olivia discusses the unsettling realities of children growing up online to create family content and explores how she used her unsent newsletters to craft a mixed media experience for readers, illustrating the struggles long after the cameras stop rolling.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's fun companion book, 18 influencer books that are as unputdownable as your favorite feed.  Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to take on their next visit to the library.Meet Olivia MuenterOlivia Muenter is a writer, reader, and the co-host of the Bad on Paper podcast. Her first novel, Such A Bad Influence was an instant USA Today Best Seller. Her second novel, Little One, will be published in 2026.A former fashion & beauty editor and freelance writer, Olivia's work has been published in Glamour, Byrdie, Bustle, Brides, Health.com, Philadelphia Magazine, and more. You can find her most personal writing via her weekly newsletter, where she shares about her life, her work, and everything in between.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 18 Page-Turning Influencer BooksJoin the October Book Club on 10/24 at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)Such a Bad Influence by Olivia MuenterBad On Paper PodcastLittle One by Olivia MuenterShark Heart by Emily HabeckHow Shark Heart Transformed Emily Habeck and Her ReadersBad InfluenceImprove Your Reading Memory and FocusI'm Glad My Mom Died by Jenette McCurdyBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Olivia Muenter on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Ashley Jordan joins Book Gang to share her LitUp Fellowship journey to launch her debut, Once Upon a Time in Dollywood, and how fanfiction paved her path.Ashley Jordan, a Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow, joins us this week to share the story behind her sparkling debut Once Upon a Time in Dollywood—a romance that pairs laugh-out-loud humor with deeply emotional storytelling.In this light conversation, we discuss:📚 From Fanfic to Fellowship – Ashley reflects on how writing The Walking Dead fanfiction taught her the building blocks of writing and how that experience led her to being named a Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow, complete with her dream mentorship and a writer's retreat that transformed her creative process.📚 Rewriting the Narrative for Black Women – Through her protagonist Eve, a playwright determined to tell Black women's stories that aren't defined by pain, Ashley explores how joy, ambition, and love can coexist with realism. We discuss why expanding the lens on representation in romance matters now more than ever.📚 Dollywood, Therapy, and the Soft Boyfriend We Deserve – Ashley shares how setting the story in Dollywood allowed her to capture the magic of Southern charm, how she approached writing therapy with nuance and heart, and why she wanted Jamie—a self-described "cinnamon roll" love interest—to reflect a gentler kind of masculinity in today's romance landscape.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: Don't miss this week's juicy companion book list filled with the best books about theater to step behind the curtain with these compelling stories of complex lives, both on and off the stage. Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to take on their next visit to the library.Meet Ashley JordanAshley Jordan is a millennial from Atlanta by way of Brooklyn. She attended Spelman College, earning a degree in Psychology and a lifelong appreciation for women's stories. By day, she works in public health, and by night, she's a devoted writer—ever since penning her first short story in second grade.When Ashley isn't writing or working, she's likely at a Beyoncé concert, rewatching Mad Men, or passionately debating basketball. In 2023, she became a Reese's Book Club LitUp Fellow, an experience that helped shape her journey to publishing Once Upon a Time in Dollywood.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 22 Incredible Books About TheaterJoin the October Book Club on 10/24 at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley JordanLemonadeCelebrating Only One-Bed Moments in Romance (Sarah Adler Podcast)LitUpJasmine GuilloryBolu BabalolaTilt by Emma PatteeKennedy RyanTia WilliamsThe Kennedy Ryan Phenomenon: Inclusive Narratives with HeartEmily HenryRegina BlackAugust Lane by Regina BlackNikki PayneDanielle JacksonMeryl Wilsner  Beverly JenkinsBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores. Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Ashley Jordan on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Author Meagan Church unpacks the hidden lives of women in her chilling novel, The Mad Wife, as we explore the history of hysteria in women's health diagnoses.If you loved Meagan Church’s historical fiction, you’ll be captivated by the bold turn she takes in The Mad Wife, her third novel. Rooted in the untold medical stories of women’s lives, this book lulls readers into the familiar rhythms of mid-century domesticity, before flipping the script with a shocking plot twist.In our revealing conversation, we explore:Building a Vivid 1950s World – From S&H stamps to molded salads, how Meagan nailed the texture of the era, weaving ordinary domestic details into a setting that feels both authentic and unsettling.From History to Suspense – Why Meagan pivoted from a traditional historical fiction lens in her earlier novels to the creeping tension of domestic suspense, and how she made the genre shift feel authentic to her writing process. We discuss the bravery required for this project and how she felt haunted, both in real life and on the page, as she told Lulu's story.The Medical History of “Hysteria” – What her chilling research revealed about diagnoses like hysteria, prescriptions like Miltown, and procedures like lobotomy and ECT that shaped women’s lives in disturbing ways.📚 As a bonus for listeners, don’t miss this week’s companion list: Books With Good Plot Twists That Will Make Your Jaw Drop. Patrons will also receive today’s printable checklist to take on their next visit to the library.Meet Meagan ChurchMeagan Church is the Southern indie bestselling author of The Girls We Sent Away, The Last Carolina Girl , and The Mad Wife, this month's Barnes & Noble Book fiction pick. She writes to tell grounded stories that explore the complexity of human nature. Her historical fiction chronicles the plight and fight of unheard voices of the past. After receiving a B.A. in English from Indiana University, Meagan built a career as a storyteller and freelance writer for brands, blogs, and organizations. She is an adjunct professor for Drexel University’s MFA in Creative Writing program, helping authors tell their own stories through editing, coaching, and workshops. A Midwesterner by birth, she now lives in North Carolina with her high school sweetheart, three children, and a plethora of pets.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptUPDATED BOOK LIST: Books With Good Plot TwistsJoin the October Book Club on 10/24 at 8 PM ET (Diavola by Jennifer Thorne)The Last Carolina Girl by Meagan ChurchThe Girls We Sent Away by Meagan ChurchThe Mad Wife by Meagan ChurchThe Best Book Club Books to Spark ConversationSaints for All Occasions by J. Courtney SullivanOn Writing by Stephen KingFinding Grace by Loretta RothschildDonut Dollies of VietnamThe Women by Kristin HannahWeymouth Center for the Arts & HumanitiesMegan’s Jello InstagramHow to Make Glow in the Dark JELL-OMiltownMother’s Little HelperUnwell Women by Elinor CleghornThe Bell Jar by Sylvia PlathTerah Shelton HarrisBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches it with 10% to support independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation in any amount- I am grateful!)Connect with Meagan Church on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Curious about indie publishing? Physician Paria Hassouri shares her debut journey to publish Harvesting Rosewater, centering a woman's midlife awakening.If you’ve ever been interested in the independent publishing process, you’re not alone. Today’s revealing conversation with Paria Hassouri, a pediatrician, whose debut, Harvesting Rosewater, recently hit bookstores, takes readers inside her remarkable publishing process. Discover how Paria balances medicine and storytelling in today's under-the-radar debut feature, which centers on a physician's midlife awakening that I guarantee you will not be able to put down.In our illuminating conversation, we explore:Independent Publishing Adventures- Paria opens up about her unique indie publishing path, sharing how she navigated editing, securing book blurbs, and the creative freedom that comes with going her own way—plus the surprises that made the process both challenging and rewarding.Uncovering Autofiction Elements From Paria's Life- Drawing on her own childhood in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, Paria shares personal memories and reflections from this challenging period in her young life in her story. She shares how blending real-life experiences with fiction has allowed her to explore her own identity, belonging, and what she hopes readers will take away from her book.The Women's Life Freedom Movement- We explore how themes of women’s rights and resistance shaped this story, offering readers deeper insight into lives under restrictive systems and the tragedy that sparked the movement.📚 As a bonus for listeners, don't miss this week's companion list: Compelling Books About Doctors Every Reader Should Read. Explore 24 novels on practicing medicine, from historical fiction to romance - there is a little something for every kind of reader. Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to bring on their next visit to the library.Meet Paria HassouriParia Hassouri is an author and pediatrician whose essays have appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Huffington Post. Her memoir, Found in Transition: A Mother's Evolution During Her Child's Gender Change, was published in 2020. She has shared stories on stage with Expressing Motherhood, taught writing and advocacy classes at UCLA, and been featured widely for her work. A proud Iranian-American and mother of three, she lives in Los Angeles, where she continues to provide gender-affirming care for trans and gender-diverse youth.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 24 Compelling Books About Doctors Every Reader Should ReadJoin the September Book Club Chat TONIGHT (Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood)Harvesting Rosewater by Paria HassouriFound in Transition by Paria HassouriSlanting Towards the Sea bu Lidija HiljeThe Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan KamaliPenitence by Kristin KovalSandwich by Catherine NewmanAll Fours by Miranda JulyCutting for Stone by Abraham VergheseWhat Could Be Saved by Liese O’Halloran SchwarzThe Kite Runner by Khaled HosseiniA Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled HosseiniBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores! Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Paria Hassouri on Instagram, TikTok, or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

In Anyone's Ghost, August Thompson captures the ache of growing up while growing as a writer after his hard-won pursuit of the MFA program at NYU.How do you write a coming-of-age story that's both deeply vulnerable and slyly funny, all while resisting clichés about queerness and masculinity? August Thompson joins me to talk about his debut novel, Anyone's Ghost, a Lambda finalist and one of my favorite under-the-radar gems.From his MFA experience at NYU to navigating long COVID while finishing the book, Thompson reflects on the highs and lows of becoming a first-time author and the vulnerable process of rejection. He also shares how humor, bisexuality, and memory shape his storytelling, which major literary prizes have now recognized with adoration.In our funny conversation, August and I discussed:How Art Helped Form the Bones of August's Story – August shares the books, films, and music that inspired his book, which even brought in the lead singer from The National for a book signing moment of his dreams at The Strand.Mining Adolescence for Humor– The role of humor was as imperative as Thompson's love story, and why he wanted to balance this story with this unexpected levity amidst the yearning.The Fresh Perspective on Sexuality For Readers – Thompson discusses his approach to writing about bisexuality and the narratives regarding male bisexuality that he still wishes to see in publishing, while celebrating being longlisted for a Lambda Literary Award.📚 BONUS BOOK LIST: As a bonus for listeners, don't miss this week's companion list: Books About Music That Hit All the Right Notes. Explore 41 novels and memoirs that celebrate musicians, bands, songwriting, and life behind the scenes. Patrons will also receive today's printable checklist to bring on their next library day.Meet August ThompsonAugust Thompson is from the middle of nowhere, New Hampshire, and has lived in Los Angeles, NYC, Berlin, and Madrid. His debut novel, Anyone's Ghost, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award, longlisted for the Center For Fiction Debut Novel Prize, and named a best book of the year by Amazon, Vogue, and Elle. His writing has appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times Magazine, and beyond.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 41 Books About Music That Hit the Right NotesJoin the September Book Club Chat (Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood)Anyone's Ghost by August ThompsonMalcom XThe InsiderA24NeonThe NationalAnyone's Ghost by The NationalStrand BooksSad Dad Book ClubThis Book Cover Designer Reveals His Surprising Process (Podcast Interview with August Thompson's Paperback Book Cover Designer)Lillian Vernon Writers HouseThe Wassaic ProjectKatie KitamuraJonathan Safran FoerJeffrey EugenidesMoonlightGiovanni's Room by James BaldwinMy Brilliant Friend by Elena FerranteMiddlesex by Jeffrey EugenidesCall Me By Your Name by André AcimenThe Talented Mr. RipleyChris BramFranny and Zooey by JD SalingerBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores! Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with August Thompson on Instagram or His WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

In The Sideways Life of Denny Voss, Holly Kennedy brings humor & heart to a neurodivergent hero, sharing how Lake Union Publishing shaped her journey.What happens when good intentions collide with messy realities? In The Sideways Life of Denny Voss, Holly Kennedy introduces us to Denny, an unforgettable, neurodivergent character whose big heart and distinct voice make him a narrator you'll want to follow anywhere… even into a goose-napping, an accidental bank robbery, and now a murder trial.In this conversation, Holly and I talk about the long road it took to trust her voice enough to bring Denny's story into the world, the challenges of writing authentically from a neurodivergent perspective, and the unique publishing journey she's experienced with Lake Union.And yes, we dig into how timely themes like gun violence filter through Denny's television obsessions and what it means to write a novel that feels both tender and topical today.In our warm conversation, Holly and I discussed:📚 Creating Denny's Voice – Why stepping into first person unlocked the looping, offbeat, parenthetical style that makes Denny on a page so unforgettable.📚 Publishing with Lake Union – Holly offers the most fascinating details on the unexpected perks of working with Amazon's literary imprint and how their editorial/marketing approach shaped her novel's success. From focus groups to algorithm pivots, she candidly shares why this was the publishing house for her book.📚 Writing Through Timely Themes – How Denny's fixation on TV gun violence mirrors today's anxieties, and why Kennedy leaned into that reality even though it made it difficult to find a publishing house for her novel.📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: This week, I'm sharing 51 funny books to add levity and laughter to your stacks because, in light of the headlines, we all need a little more joy in this burning world. Patrons can also grab the printable checklist of all 52 titles for their next library day as a thank-you for your support.Meet Holly KennedyBorn and raised in Canada, Holly Kennedy currently lives near the Rocky Mountains in Alberta with her family and their Newfoundland dog, Wallace. She is the author of four novels, and her books have been translated into multiple languages. When she's not writing, you'll typically find her reading, spending time with family, or indulging her not-so-secret obsession: watching true crime TV shows like Dateline. To learn more, visit her website or follow her on Facebook and Instagram. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 51 Funny Books to Read Because We Need Them More Than EverJoin the September Book Club Chat (Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood)The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy Logan CenterThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark HaddonOf Mice and Men by John SteinbeckBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Holly Kennedy on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

In her dazzling debut novel Aftertaste, Daria Lavelle takes us on a sensory journey where food, grief, & romance intertwine in this inventive ghost story. What if you could taste the ghosts of the people you've lost? In this intimate conversation, Daria shares how her Ukrainian heritage, her childhood food memories, and her love of genre-bending storytelling all shaped one of the most unique novels of the year.You'll love the reveals of how this story took on surprising symbolism, the genre challenges of marketing such a unique book, and the reader stories that have stayed with her long after her tour ended.📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: Today, we celebrate books about food with this new list of 33 books that aren't just about what's on the plate, but more about the bigger stories simmering behind every meal.In our warm conversation, Daria and I discussed:Identifying The Taste of Ghosts– How she discovered the idea of "clairgustance," the psychic ability to taste the favorite foods of the dead, and transformed it into a fully fleshed-out magic system for her story.Weaving In Her Cultural Identity– From the "stinky lunchbox" moments of childhood to the joy and shame often tied to food in immigrant families, Daria shares how her own memories informed the emotional heartbeat of Aftertaste.Cinematic Writing & What's Next– With Sony Pictures developing Aftertaste for film, Daria talks about writing with cinematic flair and the thrill of seeing her work move to the screen.Meet Daria LavelleDaria Lavelle is an American fiction writer. Born in Kyiv, Ukraine, and raised in the New York metro area, her work explores themes of identity and belonging through magic and the uncanny. Her short stories have appeared in The Deadlands, Dread Machine, and elsewhere, and she holds degrees in writing from Princeton University and Sarah Lawrence College. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, children, and goldendoodle, all of whom love a great meal almost as much as she does.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptNEW BOOK LIST: 33 Incredible Books About FoodNEW BOOK LIST: 41 Immersive Speculative Fiction BooksJoin the September Book Club Chat (Rust & Stardust by T. Greenwood)Aftertaste by Daria LavelleFrankenstein by Mary ShelleyFantasmagorianaThe Anatomy of Story by John TrubyGlee MashupsChocolate Nut from Le Jules VerneI Grew Up Ashamed of My Immigrant Parents' Food. Now I'm Teaching My Kids Lunch Room ToleranceWhat Dreams May ComeBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Daria Lavelle on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

TikTok creator and pop-cultural sleuth Josh Lora (TellTheBeees) helps us build the ultimate Airport Novels book list to carry you through your next flight.What makes a perfect book to snag in the airport bookstore? In this fun episode, TikTok creator and pop-cultural sleuth Josh Lora (TellTheBeees) helps us create the perfect book list to get you through delayed flights, endless terminals, and jet-lagged landings with an unputdownable book.This conversation marks the final installment in the All-Star Book Influencer Series, which has brought together incredible voices in the literary community. I hope you have enjoyed these conversations with our guests, including podcasters, bookstagrammers, and BookTubers, who brought fresh passion and unique perspectives to the page.As a TikTok creator turned sociological book commentator, Josh offers fresh takes on what we read, and why we pick certain books up in unexpected places—like airport bookstores!In our fun conversation, we discuss:Inside the TellTheBeees TikTok Account: Josh shares how TellTheBeees came to life, what it means to cover pop culture through a sociological lens, and how he spots trends quickly enough to keep TikTok buzzing.Defining the Airport Novel: Together, we unpack what makes a book "airport friendly," whether that's a punchy plot, instant engagement, or that oh-so-rare "I-can't-put-this-down" quality.The Changing Reputation of Airport Picks:  Gone are the days of dull formula fiction. Josh argues that the airport rack is now a place for surprising, thoughtful, and truly compelling reads. Snag his list of best recommendations for your next flight from today's bestsellers! Meet Josh LoraJosh Lora, known online as TellTheBees, is a TikTok creator and cultural critic who explores the intersection of books, sociology, and media. His videos dissect everything from reality TV trends to bookish themes through a thoughtful, sociological lens. He’s built a vibrant audience by pairing sharp cultural observations with book recommendations that feel both fun and deeply insightful.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptJoin the August Book Club Chat TONIGHT (The Wedding People)RESERVE OUR FALL GUEST'S BOOKS NOWThe Celebrity Book Club Deep Dive Episode You NeedFleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-AknerFleishman Is in TroubleThe Age of AdelineCult Classic by Sloane CrosleyWoman of the Hour by Claire PoldersGone Girl by Gillian FlynnThe Midnight Feast by Lucy FoleyTriangle of SadnessThe Housemaid by Freida McFaddenThe Maid by Nita ProseThursday Murder Club by Richard OsmanDial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. SutantoPayback’s a Witch by Lana HarperThe Group by Mary McCarthySaints For All Occasions by J. Courtney SullivanLiars by Sarah MangusoThe Wedding People by Alison EspachSelf Care by Leigh SteinSeverance by Ling MaBlue Sisters by Coco MellorsHello Beautiful by Ann NapolitanoCleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco MellorsThe Husbands by Holly Gramazio Books About Alternative Realities or Parallel Lives You Will LoveMargo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe Like Mother, Like Daughter by Kimberly McCreightReconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreightThe God of the Woods by Liz MooreThe Unseen World by Liz MooreHeft by Liz MooreLong Bright River by Liz MooreHappiness Falls by Angie KimReal Americans by Rachel Khong Goodbye, Vitamin by Rachel KhongHow to End a Love Story by Yulin KuangI Hope This Finds You Well by Natalie SueThe Ministry of Time by Kaliane BradleyBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Josh Lora on Substack, TikTok, or InstagramConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Join Cindy from Thoughts from a Page as we explore unforgettable books featuring older characters. These are her top five picks that deserve space on your TBR.The All‑Star Book Influencer Series is back, and I can't wait to introduceyou to more incredible voices in the literary community. Our guests include podcasters, bookstagrammers, and BookTubers who bring fresh passion and unique perspectives to the page.Cindy has a pulse on what's next in the publishing world and brings her seasoned perspective on how literature is embracing life beyond midlife. As one of those trusted guides, she offers not only spot-on recommendations but also the tools to discover books you might otherwise miss.In this cozy conversation, Cindy and I discuss:How to Discover What's Next in Books – Cindy shares her strategies for staying ahead of the curve, spotting trends, and helping readers discover gems beyond the bestseller lists.Why Older Characters Matter – We talk about the joys of reading characters in later stages of life, how these stories expand our empathy, and what publishing is (and isn't) getting right in portraying aging.Cindy's Top Five Picks with Older Characters – From cozy mysteries to poignant literary fiction, Cindy highlights unforgettable stories that prove life experience makes for some of the most compelling characters on the page.📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: Today, we celebrate senior characters with this new list of 52 books with older protagonists that prove that fresh adventures are, in fact, ageless endeavors. Binge these new releases and backlist gems, including today's recommendations from Cindy! Meet Cindy BurnettCindy Burnett is the host of the Thoughts from a Page podcast where she chats with guests about the books she loves and recommends. Episodes include author interviews and conversations with publishing insiders about the latest and greatest books. An avid reader and reviewer, Cindy also crafts Winter and Summer Reading Guides, writes two book columns for The Buzz Magazines in Houston, and promotes books across social media. When she isn't reading, Cindy loves attending the theatre, visiting National Parks, and traveling.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptMeet Our September Author Guests on Amy's IGJoin the August Book Club Chat 08/29 (The Wedding People)NEW BONUS BOOK LIST: 52 Books With Older ProtagonistsBONUS BOOK LIST: 40 Books About Midlife to Add to Your Stack (in case you missed it!)The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE SchwabHusbands and Lovers by Beatriz WilliamsThe Love Elixir of Augusta Stern by Lynda Cohen LoigmanBefore the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu KawaguchiThe Thursday Murder Club by Richard OsmanVera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. SutantoVera Wong Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. SutantoSipsworth by Simon Van BooyThe Reading List by Sara Nisha AdamsA Man Called Ove by Fredrik BackmanOur Souls at Night by Kent HarufThe Best One Bed Trope Books For Romance Lovers The Flat Share by Beth O'LearyThe Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 1/4 years old by Hendrik GroenThe Big Finish by Brooke FosseyThe One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica WoodHow to Read a Book by Monica WoodSundays With Writers: The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica WoodFountain BookstoreBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Cindy on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

There is nothing more transformative than midlife stories, and Renee from It's Book Talk & More joins me to explore the books that reshape how we see this stage.The All‑Star Book Influencer Series is back, and I can't wait to introduce you to more incredible voices in the literary community. Our guests include podcasters, bookstagrammers, and BookTubers who bring fresh passion and unique perspectives to the page.Renee has been a trusted voice in the bookish space for years, first co-hosting Book Talk Etc. and now curating her popular Substack newsletter, It's Book Talk & More.Today, she shares what inspired her move to this new platform, how her reading life has evolved, and why midlife books are resonating with her and her audience more than ever.In this rich and relatable conversation, Renee and I discuss:Inside It's Book Talk & More – Renee shares the origin story of her Substack and the creative freedom she's found since transitioning from podcasting. Learn how her approach to reading and reviewing has shifted in this new format.Why Midlife Stories Matter – We talk about the transformative nature of midlife for women, the stereotypes that need dismantling, and the novels that reflect the realities of reinvention and joy from this season.Renee's Favorite Midlife Reads – Discover the five midlife books that have offered her guidance, inspiration, and a fresh perspective on this stage of life.📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 40 Best Books About Midlife, including shiny new releases, buzzy upcoming titles, and backlist favorites that prove this stage of life is just getting started from a midlife reader.Meet ReneeRenee is the creator and writer behind It's Book Talk & More, a Substack newsletter where she shares thoughtful book reviews, curated recommendations, and personal reflections on reading life. Formerly the co-host of the Book Talk Etc. Podcast, Renee brings a seasoned perspective to the literary conversation, with a special passion for stories that center women in midlife. Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptMeet Our September Author Guests on Amy's IGJoin the August Book Club Chat 08/29 (The Wedding People)BONUS BOOK LIST: 40 Books About Midlife to Add to Your StackBetween Two Kingdoms by Suleika JaquadRole Playing by Cathy YardleyLeaving by Roxanna RobinsonA Short Guide to a Happy Life by Anna QuindlenHere on Earth by Alice HoffmanThe Dovekeepers by Alice HoffmanThe Celebrity Book Club Deep Dive Episode You NeedDon’t Be a Stranger by Susan MinotOne’s Company by Ashley HutsonThe Elements by John BoyneA History of Loneliness by John BoyneA Ladder to the Sky by John BoynePrivate Rites by Julie ArmfieldBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Renee on Instagram or her SubstackConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Dive into a stack of mind‑bending thrillers with Kate from Bookwild. Discover her top 5 speculative fiction picks in today's All-Star Book Influencer series.The All‑Star Book Influencer Series is back, and I can't wait to introduce you to more incredible voices in the literary community. Our guests include podcasters, bookstagrammers, and BookTubers who bring fresh passion and unique perspectives to the page.Today, we are discussing mind-bending thrillers and who better to guide us than Kate from Bookwild, a podcast dedicated entirely to the art of the twist? In this week's conversation, we explore what makes a thriller truly mind-bending, the tropes that never get old, and the books that broke our brains in the best way.In this thrilling conversation, Kate and I discuss:Inside the Bookwild Podcast – Kate shares the origin story of her show and how it became a space to celebrate everything from domestic suspense to speculative thrillers. Learn how she curates episodes that keep listeners hooked week after week.Tropes, Trends & Upcoming Obsessions – From the thriller tropes that never fail her to the themes she's hoping will take over the suspense landscape, Kate gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what keeps her reading.5 Mind-Bending Thrillers Kate Can't Stop Thinking About – Discover Kate's top picks that push the boundaries of the genre with jaw-dropping twists and speculative elements. She shares why these reads stand out in a sea of thrillers and why they deserve a spot on your TBR.📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 41 Speculative Fiction Books (I WENT CRAZY ON THIS ASSIGNMENT) that include upcoming releases, shiny new releases, and backlist books that every reader will love. Meet Kate HergottKate Hergott is the host of Bookwild, a fiction podcast launched by the Bookwild Collective. On Tuesdays, she conducts compelling interviews with authors about their books and creative processes. Fridays bring vibrant chats with bookstagrammers and BookTubers, exploring bookish trends, mood reads, and mutual obsessions.Mentioned in this episode:Download Today's Show TranscriptJoin the August Book Club Chat 08/29 (The Wedding People)BONUS BOOK LIST: 41 Immersive Speculative Fiction Books to Read NowAmy on the Bookwild PodcastRust and Stardust by T. GreenwoodIn My Dreams I Hold a Knife by Ashley WinsteadGone Girl by Gillian FlynnThe Kind Worth Killing by Peter SwansonThe Frozen River by Ariel LawhornA Fatal Intrusion by Isabella Maldonado and Jeffrey Deaver.Trust Issues by Elizabeth McCullough Keenan & Greg WandsThe Close-Up by Pip DrysdaleCross My Heart by Megan CollinsReturn to MeThe Puzzle Box by Danielle TrussoniOddityMother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina SimonSwiped by L.M. ChiltonAssassin's Anonymous by Rob HartCrafting a Killer Redemption Story with HeartDigital Dating Turns Deadly in This Debut Murder MysteryThe Lake of Lost Girls by Katherine GreeneRecursion by Blake CrouchDark Matter by Blake CrouchBooks About Parallel Universes and the Multiverse to Read NowTime Loop Books for Readers Who Love LoopsBooks About Alternate Realities or Parallel Lives You Will LoveThe Best Time Travel Books to Escape Real LifeThe Best Time Travel TV Shows and MoviesThe Mechanics of Memory by Audrey LeeThe Man Who Saw Seconds by Alexander BoldizarVox by Christina DalcherThe Handmaid's Tale by Margaret AtwoodAlexander Boldizar on Bookwild podcastThe Prediction by Faith GardnerBlack MirrorIf You Can Hear This by Faith GardnerThe Paradox Hotel by Rob HartWandaVisionDark Space by Rob Hart & Alex SeguraThe Medusa Protocol by Rob HartManifestBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores! Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Kate Hergott on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Journalist Honor Jones discusses her debut novel, Sleep, which explores the #MeToo movement from childhood to the newsroom through a unique fictional lens.Honor Jones's debut novel, Sleep, opens in the heat of a seemingly idyllic summer childhood, where ten-year-old Margaret navigates unspoken secrets within her home. But as the years unfold, the story quietly traces how early moments of confusion ripple forward into Margaret's adult life, particularly as she covers the Weinstein trial as a journalist. With a clear-eyed and unsettling voice, Sleep becomes a meditation on what women bury, what they minimize, and what begins to surface when the cultural tide shifts.In this intriguing conversation, Honor and I discuss:How journalism shaped her approach to fiction: Honor reflects on the transition from shaping others' stories to crafting her own and how editing longform narratives influenced her writing style.Writing a woman who can believe others but not herself: Margaret is a woman who has built a career amplifying the voices of survivors, yet has never fully named her own story. Honor explores how Margaret reconciles the gap between public belief and private suppression, and how the novel plays with what we notice versus what we choose not to see.Portraying the unspoken conversations around #MeToo: From the charged stillness of newsroom dynamics to a dinner party scene, Honor unpacks how people speak around harm instead of through it. We explore her decision to include moments of discomfort and how those honest tensions reflect the real ways people deal with trauma.📚 FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: 36 Me Too Books that showcase the struggles of women throughout history. From young adult to memoir to literary fiction- this week's book list illuminates. Meet Honor JonesHonor Jones is a writer and editor who has worked at The Atlantic, The New York Times, and The New Republic. Her writing has also appeared in The Cut and The New Yorker. Sleep is her debut novel.Mentioned in this episode:Browse the 2025 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide (with ads) or download the 48-page reading guide ($7) to support our show. If you are a show patron, please check your inbox for your copy as part of your member benefits. Thank you for supporting my small business!   Download Today's Show TranscriptJoin the July Book Club Chat TONIGHT (Husbands & Lovers)BONUS BOOK LIST: 36 Me Too BooksSleep by Honor JonesSarah Harman - All the Other Mothers Hate Me Podcast InterviewAll the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah HarmonClaire Hoffman - Sister, Sinner Podcast InterviewSister, Sinner by Clare HoffmanJenisha from KentuckyHow I Demolished My LifeSundays with Writers: Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill CleggDid You Ever Have a Family by Bill CleggWild Game by Adrienne Brodeur Bookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Honor Jones on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter

Holy plot twist! Loretta Rothschild shares her writing process for her buzzy debut, Finding Grace, where the opening sequence stuns in this spoiler-free chat.In today's Book Gang episode, debut author Loretta Rothschild discusses Finding Grace, a domestic drama that cracks wide open into something far more unexpected. This powerful novel explores fertility, family bonds, and the long echo of grief, told through a voice you won't see coming.In this heart-to-heart conversation, Loretta and I discuss her five-year journey to publication, the art of crafting structure and tension, and how one tragic twist completely reshaped her story. If you're a writer, you'll find so much to take away from her thoughtful process—and if you're a reader, well, prepare to be surprised.In this warm conversation, Loretta and I discuss:How an analog writer plots a good story: Loretta walks us through her five-year process of developing Finding Grace, from longhand notebooks to deeply layered outlines. She explains how structure helped her navigate an emotionally complex storyline and how a strong framework gave her characters space to breathe.Why the first chapter matters more than ever: In a world driven by short attention spans and BookTok buzz, Loretta shares how she crafted a bold opening that immediately grabs the reader and how that choice reshaped the entire novel's trajectory.What happens behind the curtain: From working with her agent to the moment she saw her book cover for the first time, Loretta gives a candid look at the publishing process, the emotional rollercoaster of debut life, and how readers are helping Finding Grace find its place.FREE BONUS BOOK LIST: Love plot twists? You'll want our free guide to 34 books with good plot twists filled with shocking reveals and clever misdirections.Meet Loretta RothschildLoretta Rothschild is originally from London and currently splits her time between the UK and Italy. She lives with her husband, Nat, their young son, and their beloved dogs. Finding Grace is her debut novel.Mentioned in this episode:Browse the 2025 MomAdvice Summer Reading Guide (with ads) or download the 48-page reading guide ($7) to support our show. If you are a show patron, please check your inbox for your copy as part of your member benefits. Thank you for supporting my small business!  Download Today's Show TranscriptJoin the July Book Club Chat (Husbands & Lovers)BONUS BOOK LIST: 34 Books With Good Plot TwistsFinding Grace by Loretta RothschildCecile DavidoviciLidija Hilje-Slanting Towards the Sea (Podcast Interview)Random HarvestBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores!Connect With Us:Join the Book Gang PatreonConnect with Loretta on Instagram or her WebsiteConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceGet My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals Newsletter